October 30, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

41 of 80 sheets Page 161 to 164 of 203 11/06/2024 03:21:43 PM 161 the perspective of the overall canopy layer the trees1 appeared healthy. That doesn't make the forest healthy,2 it makes the trees within the forest healthy.3 THE PUBLIC: So you noticed the beech leaf4 disease five years ago or just recently?5 THE WITNESS: The beech leaf disease we6 noticed this summer.7 THE PUBLIC: Okay.8 THE WITNESS: That's relatively knew to the9 northeast.10 THE PUBLIC: And there's no cure?11 THE WITNESS: To the best of my knowledge12 there's very limited cure. It's sort of like the13 disease for ash. You can protect an ash tree but it14 takes one-on-one care with injections of pesticide to15 the system. To the best of my knowledge, as a botanist,16 there was no cure for beech leaf disease. It's being17 researched, companies like Bartlett and SavATree and of18 course Rutgers, et al., are all looking to see what --19 we know to what causes it, which is a mite, but we don't20 know what the cure is. Not yet.21 THE PUBLIC: Kind of manage it and slow the22 spread is what you're kind of saying?23 THE WITNESS: You know, that's a good24 observation and a tough question. The only way to25 162 manage spread of a disease like that is to cut down1 every tree that's infected and burn it, but not exactly2 feasible in a forest.3 THE PUBLIC: So just to make sure I'm4 understanding your report, that the issue and condition5 of the forest, the undergrowth, that cannot be6 generated, is a hundred percent because of the excessive7 deer browsing?8 THE WITNESS: Predominately. I wouldn't say9 100 percent but predominately because of deer browse,10 which is common throughout forests in the northeast and11 especially the Mid-Atlantic states in particular.12 States like New Jersey which are densely populated.13 THE PUBLIC: Well, what else in the forest14 would you observe that could have caused this?15 THE WITNESS: I didn't look for --16 THE PUBLIC: You didn't say 100 percent.17 This seems to be, the discussion of it seems to be 10018 percent that the deer is our issue, but you're not19 saying 100 percent, so what else did you observe? You20 walked through the forest several times, couple times,21 120 acres, what else did you observe?22 THE WITNESS: The other issue that's in there23 that is helping to deter good growth is invasive species24 invasion. Japanese stiltgrass, Japanese barberry,

s,21 120 acres, what else did you observe?22 THE WITNESS: The other issue that's in there23 that is helping to deter good growth is invasive species24 invasion. Japanese stiltgrass, Japanese barberry, these25 163 are invasive plants that currently crowd out native1 plants. Because I don't have enough native plants to2 fight back, they're winning. So those are also3 discouraging the growth of new plants. Other than that4 the answer is in science we don't like to use the words5 always and 100 percent. Predominately and probably is6 the best I could give you. Short of literally going in7 there and counting every single tree and doing hundreds8 and hundreds of soil logs, which would tell me no more9 than I have probably just told you, except with10 mathematical certainty.11 THE PUBLIC: So it's all, let's just say12 from what you just said then, it's 100 percent of nature13 that has caused this forest not be healthy?14 THE WITNESS: No, it's humans that caused15 this forest to not be healthy, through planting of16 invasive species, probably in every yard that I look at17 in the state of New Jersey and in West Orange, with18 certain exceptions. I won't say every one, but many19 people. With the plantings, with the movement of20 plantings across state lines. People for example have21 taken emerald ash bore and transplanted it across state22 lines by letting -- taking firewood illegally out of23 another state. So it's human activity that probably24 would be the cause.25 164 THE PUBLIC: So did you observe any bonfire1 pits in this 120 acres?2 THE WITNESS: Yes.3 THE PUBLIC: Motorized bike trials?4 THE WITNESS: Yes. One.5 THE PUBLIC: Did you notice any dog walkers6 coming through with their dogs?7 THE WITNESS: I didn't see any trespassers8 at the time that I was there.9 THE PUBLIC: Okay.10 Litter. How about litter, lots of litter?11 THE WITNESS: There was litter on different12 inspections from time to time. Typically what I -- what13 looked to be beer parties based on the number of cans14 and what they were.15 THE PUBLIC: Glass?16 THE WITNESS: Broken glass, beer bottles. I17 did see some wine bottles.18 THE PUBLIC: Any large pieces of concrete?19 THE WITNESS: I don't recall seeing large20 concrete. There was a squatters shack at one time on21 the property that we found with an easy chair in the22 middle. I don't know how they got it the there. I give23 them a lot of

call seeing large20 concrete. There was a squatters shack at one time on21 the property that we found with an easy chair in the22 middle. I don't know how they got it the there. I give23 them a lot of credit for perseverance. But, yes, those24 things have all been seen isolated.25