February 25, 2026 Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

03/20/2026 06:14:03 AM Page 61 to 64 of 154 16 of 68 sheets 61 absolutely, once you eliminate the core forest and1 reduce it down.2 This is a scattergraph which shows something3 similar. That the nesting success of species change.4 For example, as the forest is larger on the bottom5 vector, you see the scattergraph showing -- sorry. You6 see the scattergraph showing high levels of nesting7 success with the high dots as the forest area is larger.8 But as the forest area is smaller, nesting success9 declines, and the scattergraph shows that very clearly.10 So not only do you have decrease in occupancy but you11 have a decrease, and he's only using the Wood Thrush as12 one example. You have a decrease in the ability of13 these creatures to reproduce. So we get a double14 whammy. We destroy the core forest, the resulting15 patches are not really enough to ensure major occupancy16 by species, and those that do occupy will have little17 success or less success reproducing. We -- this is18 really a kind of roller coaster downward in terms of19 ecology. This is one of those things that causes20 ecology to collapse. We're seeing it in microcosm21 through Dr. Butler's testimony. That's what we offered22 him for. Not only because of birds, this is an example23 of what will happen with all species based on whether24 they need core forest to survive.25 62 Also, there are threats to interior species.1 As the exotic and common invasives enter, they will be2 depositing eggs in nests and knocking out eggs of the3 forest species. This is a common problem. You actually4 see this in a lot of species that domesticate. They5 knock out the wild species. You see it in salmon for6 example that escape from salmon farms. They actually7 affect the population of wild salmon negatively. This8 happens here, where invasives enter, they will colonize9 core birds nests and destroy members of the species.10 So this is his summary, but I think I've11 given that.12 This is Dr. Hasse's presentation. Now, that13 is his placement of the structures only on the existing14 forest. He used that as his cover. And you could see15 clearly the subdivisions around.16 This is on a higher altitude view and you17 see in the center that -- oh, I'm sorry. You see in the18 center that cleared area, that's what gave rise to that19 interior bump on the 58 acres. There obviously had been20 a house or a mansion

you17 see in the center that -- oh, I'm sorry. You see in the18 center that cleared area, that's what gave rise to that19 interior bump on the 58 acres. There obviously had been20 a house or a mansion there at some point.21 Now, that is a very good depiction of the22 forest, it's showing it's surrounded by this enormous23 developed area. And we'll see some of the maps as they24 came through, if you recall the presented maps25 63 historically.1 Okay. This is part of his discussion, I2 didn't include his entire exhibit because it's lengthy.3 He gave a discussion on smart growth, if you recall, and4 he was using various factors that are fundamental to the5 notion of smart growth, which I think we all ascribe to.6 And what he has is a map showing the developed sites,7 basically the house placement and if we could just move8 it up a little, I think there's a code. Well, stop9 there for a moment. Thank you. So right there in the10 center -- I did it again. Sorry. Right there in the11 center, right there in the center is our site. You can12 see it's surrounded almost entirely by suburban housing13 subdivisions. Now, there's a park here. There's some14 undeveloped area there and there's a little bit of it15 here and there's some there. This is right in the16 center of this area17 Now, what we have is staggering bits of18 woods left. Many of them severely degraded. Look here.19 This is all edge, for example. You know, all that's20 edge, for example. A lot of this is edge here. This is21 a piece that's left, it's almost primeval, which is22 remarkable. And you heard Chief Mann speak during the23 public comment about, you know, the real emotional need24 that he and the Lenape nation feel for preserving, when25 64 we can, these old growth forests.1 Now, if we can pull out, I think there's a2 code there.3 Now here's the connectivity. And he has a4 depiction of hubs and connectors. And so we're seeing5 some of those same green areas that we saw on the other6 drawing, or the other chart. Our property at issue is7 right in the middle here. You see it's really smack in8 the center of a connecting branch. Here's an area of9 some undeveloped area. Here's one. This is smack in10 the center. These corridors tend to allow some11 communication of species. Remember I mentioned in12 Princeton we're trying to preserve that ring of forest13 for that very reason. When you take a

in10 the center. These corridors tend to allow some11 communication of species. Remember I mentioned in12 Princeton we're trying to preserve that ring of forest13 for that very reason. When you take a forested area of14 several hundred acres and you put a housing development15 in the middle, what you do is you lose the connectivity.16 Species can no longer migrate, they can no longer17 multiply and they gradually diminish. So this is an18 example of a connectivity forest. There really aren't19 that many left. So this is a major piece of the20 connectivity corridor forest, and he spoke to that21 issue.22 Now, again, this is another depiction of the23 forest core with which you're familiar. And this is a24 very stark demonstration of what we have and it's a25