April 30, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

11 of 48 sheets Page 41 to 44 of 116 05/12/2025 02:23:28 PM 41 for a deer fence to impact the canopy of this forest1 that fence would have to be up for 150 to 200 years, and2 that's not going to happen, right. There's nobody on3 God's green earth that's going to maintain a fence for4 150 to 200 years.5 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you, sir.7 Do any other members of the public have any8 questions for Dr. DeVito? Please raise your hand and9 come up and be identified. Seeing none. Thank you Dr.10 -- I'm sorry, go ahead.11 MR. WILNER: Mr. Afran had to step out so I12 am an associate with him. My name is Steven Sachs13 Wilner. I'm an attorney at law in the State of New14 Jersey, and there's been some discussion regarding15 mitigation of the affects of the development. Is there16 any mitigation that would, unless it created a core17 forest of 50 acres, that would make any difference for18 the core forest?19 THE WITNESS: I want to make sure I20 understand your question. If we use general principles21 for this type upland eastern deciduous oak, hickory22 forest that edge effect go in 300 feet and ruin interior23 forest conditions. Then if this development footprint24 is put where it's proposed you might, like I said, you25 42 might be able to ameliorate some things by planting1 incredibly large white pines or Norway spruce or things2 that are long lived and cascade shade in order to keep3 the sunlight from entering into the forest. But I don't4 think you can do it over a time frame when it would make5 a difference, because you can't plant ones that are big6 enough and other than that you can't do anything. Core7 forest, if you -- if you have a development within 3008 feet of, anything within 300 feet of a development is no9 longer core forest. That's a ecological fact, right.10 That's why we're looking at all the species because11 interior species need core forest and they hardly have12 any of it in this part of New Jersey and so they're13 disappearing.14 MR. WILNER: And even --15 THE WITNESS: And there's nothing you can16 do.17 MR. WILNER: Even those trees however, only18 do a partial mitigation?19 THE WITNESS: Yeah, you're mitigating just20 one thing which is sunlight and therefore the21 temperature and the drying soil conditions, right.22 MR. Wilner: And with 50 acres of core23 forest could you in any way have a 29 acre development24 and have a

g which is sunlight and therefore the21 temperature and the drying soil conditions, right.22 MR. Wilner: And with 50 acres of core23 forest could you in any way have a 29 acre development24 and have a core forest left that is, that functions as a25 43 core forest?1 THE WITNESS: I haven't done the math, if2 all of the development was put on one edge, so that you3 leave a -- because right now the development is gutting4 the interior of the forest, right. So, you know, it's5 total conversion to non forest right in the middle of6 the core forest. If all the development is somehow7 pushed to one edge, then I could, you know, figure out8 how many acres of core forest would be left and I don't9 know if it would approach 20 acres, but, you know, you10 could have a completely different site plan. But I11 don't think you can because you have wetlands on the12 western side and steep slopes I think somewhere on the13 eastern side. So where the development is put,14 obviously all the numbers change, but doesn't look to me15 like you can protect the core forest at this site if you16 develop it.17 MR. WILNER: That's all I have.18 Mr. Afran, now that you're back, do you want19 to --20 Well, I have one follow-up question actually for21 Q. Dr. DeVito. I know there's a member of the public ahead22 of me, but Dr. DeVito, in terms of the edge versus the23 base flora, what's the relationship of invasive plant24 species to the edge? Is there a relationship we should25 44 know about?1 There are a greater number of alien plant species2 A. that colonize the edge than colonize the shade of the3 interior of the forest. Alien species like soil4 disturbance, they like drought, they like heat, they5 like sunlight, they like elevated pH, which is a lower6 acidity. They also like all the things that are caused7 by the creation of an edge and being put up against an8 urban landscape, which many of those species actually9 come from the urban landscape. They're transported by10 landscapers, they carry weeds all over the place, they11 dump weeds all over the place.12 So in terms of the question that was given before13 Q. -- I'm sorry.14 So there's more species, greater density of those15 A. species because of the extra sunlight. Again, they like16 the sunlight, they like the draught, they're better17 competitors in harsh conditions. They're not sensitive.18 Forest species are sensitive, alien

es because of the extra sunlight. Again, they like16 the sunlight, they like the draught, they're better17 competitors in harsh conditions. They're not sensitive.18 Forest species are sensitive, alien and invasive19 species, that's why we call them weeds because they're20 not sensitive, especially near people.21 So in terms of what you're referring to in terms22 Q. of the question earlier about water retention, and23 you're speaking to the fact that the native root mass24 has a greater role in water retention than alien root25