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

5 of 48 sheets Page 17 to 20 of 116 05/12/2025 02:23:28 PM 17 a little bit of time, a few years for those edge1 processes to invade the forest that hasn't been2 disturbed, but after a few years you would only have3 core forest ecological processes still happening with4 integrity in those areas outlined in the magenta and5 that nine acres is not big enough to support any core6 processes.7 And just to clarify this, the slide that8 Q. previously depicted the red area is the area of9 development of the proposed project, is that correct?10 Yes.11 A. Okay. Thank you.12 Q. So, again, here's the core forest today and then13 A. there's the same image with the proposed development in14 red and remaining core forest, which totals nine acres.15 And, again, nine acres is not enough to support16 any population of any forest interior species, forest17 interior species are area sensitive. In order to18 maintain a population those forest interior species need19 a decent size tract of forest, usually about 50 acres or20 more for a population to be sustained, which they have21 now which they, you know, well, completely all the core22 forest species will completely disappear. That's a lot23 of species. And I already mentioned we have not done24 any studies, we don't know of any threatened or25 18 endangered species that are existing in this forest and1 it's not very likely that there are any threatened or2 endangered species protected by regulations because they3 generally need even greater acres of core forest, but4 there are lots of species of special concern that should5 be in here and species of special concern that are6 listed by the State of New Jersey are those species that7 are next in line to become threatened. So if you're8 interested in protecting diversity in your municipality9 than you should be trying to protect your core forest.10 That's all I have.11 If you can go back to the last slide a moment,12 Q. please.13 So for the record, this slide depicts the area of14 disturbance in red and then it has three smaller areas15 in magenta and those are the areas the witness has said16 comprise the remaining core forest. I'm just describing17 it so the written record is clear as to what slide we're18 dealing with.19 Was that all of your presentation at this point?20 That's all I have. If anyone would like to ask21 A. any questions I would welcome that.22 Let me develop a

r as to what slide we're18 dealing with.19 Was that all of your presentation at this point?20 That's all I have. If anyone would like to ask21 A. any questions I would welcome that.22 Let me develop a little bit with you on one23 Q. point.24 Now, looking at those slides is it your testimony25 19 that everything that is remaining outside of the1 magenta, and not including the area in red, that would2 be edge forest, is that correct?3 That's right. Over time after a few years.4 A. Now, what's the process that affects the edge?5 Q. What does the edge forest go through versus the core6 forest?7 Well, the edge forest has additional sun slight,8 A. higher temperatures, greater exposure to wind, greater9 exposure to drought because the canopy is subject to10 wind, trees get blown over in storms. So the soil loses11 its moisture more easily. The, the forest canopy is12 what creates the conditions, the interior forest13 conditions and if you're to far, to close to an edge you14 lose those conditions and once you lose those conditions15 insect populations change. Forest understory plant16 population change, you get lots of weeds, alien species17 invade from people's backyards. You get all those18 predators that I talked about venturing into the forest19 because they feel safe because the large predators that20 pray on Blue Jays and crows and squirrels and those21 types of things, they're gone.22 So you're saying over time there is a species23 Q. interchange in which edge species could dominate because24 there's very little forest left?25 20 That's right. Two different habitats. They're1 A. different as chalk and cheese. And, yeah, you just get2 a total changeover on the flora and fauna between the3 edge forest and the core forest. An edge forest is sort4 of, you know, like a little bit bigger than a hedgerow5 in a farm field. It's not a forest, it's just edge.6 Is there --7 Q. Supports things like raccoons and crows and deer8 A. and woodchucks and all the things that live with people.9 None of the sensitive species.10 And what species typically would live in the core11 Q. forest that would be lost once it converts to edge?12 Well, I gave you three special concern species13 A. that probably are there, you know, if you were to go14 look, and there would be a lot more. All sorts of15 species of forest warblers, long distance migratory16 birds. There would be a lot more

s13 A. that probably are there, you know, if you were to go14 look, and there would be a lot more. All sorts of15 species of forest warblers, long distance migratory16 birds. There would be a lot more of the various17 salamander species, because the soils remain moist, so18 red-backed salamanders and other woodland salamanders.19 There would be a whole series of species that suffer20 once you lose those core forest conditions. But as I21 said before, it's important to recognize that you lose a22 lot of species, they just don't happen to be species on23 the threatened and endangered list because, you know,24 first we haven't searched this forest for threatened and25