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

05/12/2025 02:23:28 PM Page 21 to 24 of 116 6 of 48 sheets 21 endangered species, so we don't know if there are any1 there, but also it's unlikely there are any threatened2 or endangered species there because usually you have to3 get upwards of 300, 400 acres of forest to start4 accumulating those most sensitive threatened and5 endangered species. But doesn't mean that special6 concern species aren't important. They're next on the7 list and we're losing them. All of their population is8 declining in New Jersey, every one of those special9 concerned species, that's why they're called special10 concern and endangered. We're in danger of losing them11 in the near future.12 What's the primary loss of decline of these13 Q. species?14 Forest fragmentation development and the creation15 A. of edge as opposed to forest interior.16 Now, you familiar with Mr. Defeo's presentation?17 Q. Uh-huh.18 A. Now, Mr. Defeo spoke about the goal of putting19 Q. deer fencing, basically creating two sides of forest20 outside of the area of disturbance. Is that process Mr.21 Defeo speaks about, putting those fences up to encourage22 new understory, going to halt the creation of edge23 forest as you described it?24 No, that will, if those fences are effective and25 A. 22 last for decades and actually prevent deer from1 monitoring every time a tree falls down, that will have2 some impact on the regeneration of forest understory.3 But that has nothing to do with ameliorating the4 fragmentation, the extra sunlight, extra wind, soil5 moisture decline, all those other factors, that has6 nothing to go do with it. So even if we had no deer in7 New Jersey we could still have all our problems of the8 forest fragmentation and loss of core forest.9 So the deer fencing will not address this problem10 Q. at all?11 Not at all. Not one bit.12 A. MR. AFRAN: One moment, please.13 Can you also just explain why the remainder core14 Q. forest in magenta would not be sufficient to maintain15 their ecological processes?16 Well, certain ecological processes would still be17 A. occurring in those magenta areas but the species that18 require forest, core forest, they involve the tiny19 little patches of forest like that. They're20 territories, they're much larger than a handful of acres21 and so they do support the population of core forest22 species. There's just not enough space. They're just23 jammed into

ike that. They're20 territories, they're much larger than a handful of acres21 and so they do support the population of core forest22 species. There's just not enough space. They're just23 jammed into small areas, they don't even have the size24 necessarily of one or two breeding territories.25 23 As an analogy, and you talked about this, I am1 Q. not sure it's a proper biological concept, but is there2 any analogy between edge and core forest and barrier3 beach and interior base and things like that?4 So you're asking me about a barrier beach habitat5 A. versus a --6 I mean, barrier beach absorb --7 Q. -- natural water habitat?8 A. Barrier beach absorb wind, they absorb salt,9 Q. things of that nature and the echo system behind them is10 much different, does the edge in a sense protect the11 core in the same way?12 So the analogy that you're speaking of is13 A. obviously there's the ocean, which is saltwater, and14 it's windy and, you know, it's a harsh environment, so15 as you move inland on a barrier beach you go from a16 grassland to a shrub land, the black cherry and poison17 ivy, and then when you get a couple hundred yards back18 from the beach you start to get juniper trees and holly19 trees and you end up with a forest because the impact of20 the ocean is ameliorated as you move inland and so the21 same thing is true here. The development is an22 incredibly harsh unsuitable environment and it causes23 things to be happening on the edge of the forest and24 those things progressively march inland until you get a25 24 certain distance from the disturbance and that in this1 type of forest is generally considered to be 300 feet.2 Many of our regulations talk about 300 feet in terms of3 protecting forest quality.4 Now, I understand there's some who feel the edge5 Q. is actually much larger, 1,500 feet for example, you're6 using 300 feet. Can you explain why you're choosing7 that number?8 I'm choosing 300 feet because eastern deciduous9 A. forests tend to, you know, that's about three or four10 for the height, that's about the height of three or four11 trees combined. So if a tree on the edge blows down the12 sunlight comes in, the next tree comes down, after a13 decade you have enough gap forming and sunlight and wind14 that you, until you get 300 feet from where all that15 started, that's how you lose your forest processes.16 Now, there are other things

a13 decade you have enough gap forming and sunlight and wind14 that you, until you get 300 feet from where all that15 started, that's how you lose your forest processes.16 Now, there are other things that you would use lose,17 much larger buffer size. For instance, if you had a18 vernal pond here that's breeding rare vernal pond19 obligate species like spring peepers or wood frogs,20 generally, you know, there's a lot of debate over this21 but for example, states that have really good forest22 regulations say that a vernal pond needs a 1,000 foot23 buffer. New Jersey has no regulations. So, you know,24 people who do forestry in New Jersey don't protect25