November 13, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

137 1 That was cut down in Basking Ridge at the year ‘02 I 2 believe. It was down since the time -- the Washington 3 oak down in Princeton was over 200 years. That was 4 also, I believe, a white oak. Trees such as sassafras 5 and black cherry have a relatively short linesman. 6 Sassafras might live 50 years. And, again, bear in 7 mind when I say linesman, we all have a linesman, it’s 8 totally variable on the conditions the tree is 9 experiencing at the time. So, some of these are 10 shorter lived, some are longer lived. Tulip trees have 11 a pretty good linesman, they tend to be very brittle, 12 so it’s all over the place. There’s no set answer is 13 the short answer. 14 Q Well, I assume that, I’m asking of different 15 species. A Yes. 16 Q What would be the linesman typically of the 17 tulip tree? 18 A It varies. I mean tulip trees live over a hundred 19 years, but, it may not. You know there are a number of 20 other factors that affect that, of course. 21 Q Now, what about the various maple species 22 that you’ve seen on the site? 23 A Same thing. There’s all variables, but maple -- 24 Q I’m speaking about the different species. 25 A It’s all variable. I mean trees with anywhere 138 1 from -- there are sugar maples which we didn’t 2 particularly observe, although I may have seen there in 3 the last visit, there are sugar maples well over 100 4 years old in the United States, but, I can’t tell you 5 the age of any given tree on a given property because 6 you really can’t judge a tree by looking at it. You 7 can’t judge -- 8 Q I don’t mean to interrupt you, I don’t mean 9 to interrupt you, I didn’t ask you to judge the age of 10 a given tree, I just asked you to typically identify 11 the linesman of the different species you’ve 12 identified. 13 A The oldest trees in our area could be 250 years 14 old. None of these would be, in my opinion. The 15 oldest living things, of course, are not in this area, 16 but the oldest trees in this area, the oldest species 17 that -- what would be the term I’m looking for -- 18 greatest life expectancy of species in this area, 19 probably in the 250-year range. That’s a pretty good 20 run if you’re a tree. 21 Q Well, that’s -- you’re referring to the oaks 22 that you’ve seen. 23 A Hum? 24 Q You’re referring to the oak trees that you’ve 25 -- 139 1 A That’s what I’m saying, that’s an extraordinary 2 run. 3 Q Now, let’s talk

you’re referring to the oaks 22 that you’ve seen. 23 A Hum? 24 Q You’re referring to the oak trees that you’ve 25 -- 139 1 A That’s what I’m saying, that’s an extraordinary 2 run. 3 Q Now, let’s talk about the maple species, what 4 is the different species of maple that you identified, 5 red maple. For example, what is its typical linesman? 6 A Off the top of my head I don’t have that. It 7 varies. Well, it’s not anywhere near an oak tree. 8 Q Do you know it, yes or no 9 A No, because I don’t have it off the top of my 10 head. 11 Q Black birch, what’s its typical linesman? 12 A Again, I haven’t memorized the life expectancy of 13 every species of tree. Black birch would have what I 14 would call a relatively short life expectancy compared 15 to a oak or a maple. 16 Q Do you have any knowledge of the typical life 17 expectancy of black birch? 18 A I think I just stated, I have not memorized the 19 life expectancy of each species. I certainly could 20 look them up, but, I haven’t memorized them. 21 Q Shagbark hickory? 22 A Shagbark hickories do live a long time, but, 23 again, I can’t give you the specific life expectancy 24 because I have not memorized the life expectancy of 25 each species. Hickory would be a longer lived species 140 1 than birch. 2 Q Do you have any understanding of the typical 3 linesman of shagbark trees? 4 A I did not memorize the individual life 5 expectancies of individual species. 6 THE CHAIRPERSON: Okay. Mr. Afran, we’re 7 done with the tree life. He says -- we’re going to put 8 that all together, he doesn’t know the life of the 9 trees, let’s move on. 10 MR. AFRAN: Well, I’m testing the point. 11 Thank you. 12 Q With respect to the condition of approval 13 that you recommended on the areas of disturbance to 14 identify specimen trees, that survey would be done only 15 after approval of the plan under your recommendation, 16 is that correct? 17 A I don’t have the sequence of work. 18 Q Well, you said it would be a condition of 19 approval, didn’t you? 20 A I just don’t understand the -- I don’t understand 21 the sequence of the process, I can’t answer it. 22 Q Well, you said in your report that you 23 recommended it as a condition of approval, didn’t you, 24 that there would be as survey done as to specimen trees 25 in the area of disturbance.