October 30, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

25 of 80 sheets Page 97 to 100 of 203 11/06/2024 03:21:43 PM 97 words, a forester has a bigger role than an arborist. A1 arborist is more concerned to individual trees. This2 does not mean they don't know anything about forests.3 It just means they're trained more to look at specific4 trees. So the fundamental difference between arborist5 and a forester is the scope. That would be the easiest6 way I could explain it.7 THE PUBLIC: I would agree with your8 assessment of who does what and what jobs they are9 basically charged with. So thank you for that.10 So you said in your testimony earlier that11 you had three arborist's on the site?12 THE WITNESS: And foresters. They have13 multiple certifications. They are experts in14 environmental assessment of trees.15 THE PUBLIC: And so you talked kind of, you16 kind of gave us a rough overview of what, how you17 tackled this. Apparently you went in August of this18 year to do a quick reassessment, if you will, of this19 forest and health of the forest. So exactly what did20 that entail?21 THE WITNESS: This year we were asked by the22 board and by residents in town who raised the question23 specifically, have we looked at the forest since the24 initial study that was done in 2019. I have been there25 98 since, but I did bring my foresters back out, this is no1 longer Amy S. Greene, it is now called Davey2 Environmental, Amy has retired and Amy sold her company3 to Davey Environmental. They sent out one of their4 folks and me, we went through, he's an arborist,5 certified tree expert I believe and he's also a6 forester, and we walked the property, and we walked it7 for two reasons. One, I would walk it because I have to8 see it and I oversee this.9 Two, I'm a trained environmental scientist,10 so I look at a forest completely differently from a11 forester. I look at it in a more holistic standpoint12 and we walked together through there. Now, the13 forester, et al., would certainly be faster at things14 like tree identification than I would be at this point,15 all though I can still do it, he was faster. If you do16 it every day you're faster at it and I went through to17 look at the health of this forest from my environmental18 background standpoint. In other words, I see the forest19 through the trees. A forester sees the trees. I look20 at every element, from listening to the birds, from21 looking at the plants,

onmental18 background standpoint. In other words, I see the forest19 through the trees. A forester sees the trees. I look20 at every element, from listening to the birds, from21 looking at the plants, from looking at the ground, to22 looking at the geology. That's the difference in an23 environmental scientist looking at a forest or24 ecologist, which I'm also trained in. We did our25 99 assessment and we stated --1 THE PUBLIC: You walked all 120 acres?2 THE WITNESS: Yes.3 THE PUBLIC: The entire --4 THE WITNESS: 120 acres is not that big a5 property to walk in a day.6 THE PUBLIC: Okay.7 THE WITNESS: We walked the 120 acres. Did8 we look at every square inch, no. We walked the9 perimeter, we walked the property across. We looked, I10 said it hadn't changed in four years, no.11 THE PUBLIC: Is that why you didn't take --12 THE WITNESS: Five years.13 THE PUBLIC: Is that why you didn't take any14 pictures?15 THE WITNESS: You see some of the pictures16 there that I've taken.17 THE PUBLIC: I saw pictures of a different18 site and I saw one picture.19 THE WITNESS: The forest hasn't changed. I20 could take a picture there tomorrow and it would look21 just like my pictures at any time.22 THE PUBLIC: You took no pictures of the 10023 yard visibility?24 THE WITNESS: You just saw that picture.25 100 Here, I'll show you. Hang on.1 THE PUBLIC: Okay. I would like to see2 this.3 THE WITNESS: There.4 THE PUBLIC: Which one, sir?5 THE WITNESS: That's the actual site. I6 could see the trees.7 THE PUBLIC: Really. When was that taken?8 THE WITNESS: This was taken in, this might9 have been taken in 2024. I might have used a new one.10 THE PUBLIC: Really. It looks longer. The11 leaves aren't even down.12 THE WITNESS: Would you let me answer your13 question.14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ma'am. Ma'am. Let him15 finish his statement. You asked a question. Curtesy.16 Let him finish his statement then you can ask him.17 THE PUBLIC: He said 2024, sir, and I18 rebuffed.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Unless you have proof in20 hand, he's the expert -- ma'am, there are rules here.21 THE PUBLIC: I hear you.22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Let him finish.23 THE PUBLIC: I heard you, sir. I understand24 the first time.25