 05/28/04
- I am still very concerned about the DEC's Current
Project to manage our forests in Putnam, specifically
Mount Nimham. The people from Putnam had three meetings
with your messengers last fall and Senator Leibell and
Assembly Woman Galef had a meeting with you also. [read
more] |
 01/24/04
- At Frost Valley, after 33% of the basal area was removed
on the test area, researchers observed that harvesting
and road building had effects on nutrient cycling and
macro invertebrates. Nitrate levels in the steam increased
dramatically, and the diversity of species decreased
while the numbers of these organisms remained stable.
[read more] |
 12/31/03
- However, Riverkeeper is concerned that site-specific
facts at Nimham Mountain, the experimental nature of
the proposed project, and the potential to adversely
impact water quality in the West Branch Reservoir make
this an inappropriate location for such use. [read
more] |
| 12/31/03
- As a Hudson Highlands hiker for many years, and I
have seen what timbering can do to an area. Specifically,
I witnessed the result of timbering in Cold Spring along
an access trail to Mount Taurus. The site sucked the
spirit from the day; we talked about it at lunch and
we talked about after the hike. It was so disheartening.
A forest should not be disheartening. [read
more] |
 12/31/03
- One of the best and well-documented methods to protect
water quality is to let trees grow and to their full
maturity. The Nimham forest is half way there. The older
the tree, the greater the water purification qualities.
Leave this forest alone, do not disturb it. Let it continue
to provide filtration to the runoff waters. [read
more] |
| 12/31/03
- As a highly taxed Putnam County resident who continues
to live here and pay these outrageous taxes only because
this is such a beautiful place to live, I am joining
in the chorus of voices: Lay off Nimham Mountain and
the Town of Kent. Leave those trees and creatures alone
and let them live and prosper in their God given habitat.
[read more] |
| 12/31/03
- The beauty, the recreational value, the peace and
solitude that a mature forest offers cannot be measured
economically. To trade these valuable resources as a
lesson in ‘outreach and education’ seems
misguided at best, especially within the watershed.
[read more] |
| 12/31/03
- Preserving Mount Nimham as an untouched forest and
eventually old-growth forest will benefit the community.
We in Putnam County need as much help as possible in
preserving our rural heritage. We are simply being overwhelmed
with too much development on private property here.
The State should not exacerbate this problem by denuding
public lands as well. [read
more] |
| 12/31/03
- These lands are well under way to becoming mature
climax forests, which if left alone, could someday create
a continuous corridor of old-growth forest all the way
from Connecticut into New Jersey. How wonderful that
would be for everyone to marvel and such a beautiful
habitat for all the animals that live there. Just think,
someday we might be able to have our own National Park
right here on the East Coast. [read
more] |
| 12/31/03
- In my opinion, the state has a duty to protect public
lands for the benefits of the citizens of New York state.
The proposed project would not benefit the residents
of Putnam County, and New York City, who use this land
recreationally and for its beautiful vistas. Instead,
the proposed use would be a detriment to an already
overdeveloped region. [read
more] |
| 12/30/03
- I recently received a note from an Austrailian acquaintance
thanking me for taking him to Nimham this fall. He and
his wife were visiting New York City and wanted to see
something of U.S. country. They were advised to go to
Vermont. Instead I drove with them for ninety minutes
to Nimham and took them on a long hike. They could not
believe the beauty of a place so close to New York City
and they are telling their friends "Why go to Vermont?
Nimham in New York is so beautiful!" [read
more] |
| 12/30/03
- A major problem posed by a forestry plan encouraging
even-aged stand management, coupled with thinning (removal)
of “undesireable” species, is that it reduces
the inherent biodiversity of the forest by removing
resources that are significant (and in the cases of
host specificity, essential) for numerous species...
The diversity of microhabitats, therefore, is important
for overall forest health, and is what the proposed
plan would reduce. [read
more] |
| 12/25/03
- The "experimental" use of herbicides so
close to the West Branch Reservoir is the most foolhardy
thing I've ever heard of. This reservoir is an important
part of the New York City Water Supply system, and the
planned clearcutting of 40 to 60% of the forest area
and its resultant runoff and erosion, becomes an additional
factor in the degradation of that water supply, to which
you can add the possible leaching out of arsenic from
the old mines in the proposed program area. [read
more] |
 12/23/03
- The capacity of forests to absorb pollutants and protect
water quality has been well documented. CWCWC believes
that the proposed DEC logging operation on Nimham Mountain
will mean a loss of those functions. This could result
in a serious threat to water quality of the nearby West
Branch Reservoir, a critical component of the system
that supplies 9 million NYS residents with high quality,
still unfiltered drinking water. For this and other
reasons that will be explained in the text, CWCWC opposes
the Nimham DEC logging project. [read
more] |
| 12/23/03
- With the mountain laced with old arsenic mines, it's
hard to believe that stirring this up won't result in
additional arsenic leaching into the New York City reservoirs.
This is on top of the problem of erosion from the logging
and logging roads, with the resulting soil washing into
the reservoirs. Surely you wouldn't be happy with logging
trucks rumbling by in front of your home, especially
when the value is only to a handful of wealthy individuals.
[read more] |
| 12/22/03
- As members of the New York State Legislature representing
Putnam County we have been reviewing and evaluating
the proposal by the DEC to initially allow approximately
85 acres of state property around Mount Nimham to be
developed into a model working forest allowing for logging
on the property. [read
more] |
| 12/5/03
- The opponents of the model forest on Mount Nimham
are motivated by a passionate belief, shaped by life
long experience. Simply put, we believe that time spent
by the public on Mount Nimham in walks, in contemplation,
in viewing the magnificent countryside from old Coles
Mills Trail and from the Fire Tower, in peaceful coexistence
with the subtle intelligence of natural systems is the
best method by which to advance the goal of land preservation
for water quality protection. [read
more] |
| 12/5/03
- Over the years, I have seen dramatic demographic changes
occur in Putnam County. You have inappropriately chosen
to place the “Nimham Model Forest” in a
densely, populated suburban area. Take the plan somewhere
else. We do not want the tree and other vegetation reduction,
clear cutting, use of herbicides, planned fires, and
construction of Coles Mills Logging Road to occur in
our neighborhood. [read
more] |
| 12/01/03
- Furthermore, I believe it is foolish in the extreme
to conceive of the application of herbicides to alien
plant life that have been growing in the Nimham Mountain
forest area, so close to the West Branch Reservoir,
which is such a vital part of the New York City Watershed.
The invasive species can be removed by hand, by willing
volunteers who share my view of the need to preserve
this area in its natural state, for the sake of its
beauty and the solitude that it offers to people. [read
more] |
| 11/24/03
- As a resident of Putnam County, and as a user of Mount
Nimham State Forest, I urge you to stop the DEC from
logging our precious resource to create a “model
forest.” Over the past two decades, Putnam County
lost much of its wooded lands to developers. The remaining
forests, such as Mount Nimham, are the little we have
left of our treasured natural eco-systems and valued
recreational areas. [read
more] |
| 11/24/03
- The remaining state-held forests in Putnam County
must be managed in such a way, so as to regain a natural
balance and beauty. 250 years of environmental abuse
and logging is enough! Old growth forests need to be
protected for the current and new generations. [read
more] |
| 11/21/03
- Logging an emerging Old Growth forest to create an
artificial model will provide no benefits to the people
of Putnam, Westchester and New York City who visit and
enjoy this local treasure. There are few if any large
tracts of privately owned land in Putnam that could
follow the "model" created at Nimham Mountain.
On the contrary, the DEC's plan will leave us with fewer
unspoilt natural assets to enjoy with our children.
In addition, the logging required for this project will
bring further degradation to our environment and our
overall quality of life. [read
more] |
| 11/14/03
- The connection between preservation of forests and
their watershed function has been amply elucidated by
Mike Dombeck in a New York Times article of January
3, 2003. He cites the “complex array of trees,
shrubs, ground covers and roots slowing runoff from
rain and snow and purifying water as it percolates throughout
the soil and into aquifers.” Continues Mr. Dombeck,
“The focus should be on how to let our forests
do their job of producing high quality water.”
And concluding, “Given our water supply problems,
this should be the highest priority of forest management.”
[read more] |
| 11/07/03
- Being in the forest is recreational and rejuvenating
in the truest sense. Logging Ninham would destroy its
beauty and remove its power to rejuvenate. I hope to
raise my son to appreciate and respect nature. [read
more] |
| 11/05/03
- Please preserve the land for
our children so that they might be able to appreciate
it as much as my husband and I have over the years.
Mount Ninham is a wonderful, special place and changing
it would destroy a resource that cannot be replaced!
[read more] |
| 11/04/03
- I cannot see any logic behind the stated goals of
this project – why experiment on the health of
our watershed by building roads and cutting trees? The
only answer I can think of is to give foresters a raison
d’etre, something to justify their existence.
[read more] |
| 11/04/03
- Putnam County is a rapidly growing county and we need
to protect this forest and others for their aesthetic
and environmental value, and allow them to become Old
Growth forests. [read
more] |
| 11/03/03
- On a mountain that has already been know to contain
arsenic, my question is why DEC would start a logging
operation in an area that could potentially be more
dangerous than it’s worth. Do we need to pollute
our local streams and reservoirs by our own stupidity?
[read more] |
| 11/02/03
- Clear cutting and logging will entail the use of heavy
trucks and equipment, which will be noisy, extremely
disturbing to residents and animals and will result
in a dangerous and unhealthy environment. [read
more] |
| 10/31/03
- I beg you to reconsider this project. Beautiful, undeveloped
land close to the largest and greatest city in the world
is precious and should be preserved at all costs. [read
more] |
| 10/31/03
- Being a professional potter I draw my inspiration
from the beauty of the creatures of the forests. I am
extremely corncerned about the proposed cutting of the
trees in Nimham forest for an experiment. [read
more] |
| 10/30/03
- As a resident of the Putnam County I feel DEC has
been less than open in the way it has handled development
of the Mount Nimham Model Forest Project. [read
more] |
| 10/29/03
- Last fall, I hiked precisely in the area involved,
and was impressed with the beauty of the tall oaks.
So much so, in fact, that I went online to learn how
to plant acorns on my new property, which mainly has
lesser quality trees. [read
more] |
| 10/28/03
- My family and friends use this unique forest for a
number of recreational activities and we want Nimham
Park left to grow old without the destruction of old
roads and trees or managed by such arrogant methods
as suggested by the DEC in your management plan. [read
more] |
| 10/27/03
- I have personally witnessed the damage wrought by
a prior incursion of mechanized equipment on Mt. Ninham,
the destruction of existing trails and trees, and the
erosion that ensued. [read
more] |
| 10/24/03
- But Nimham Mountain currently serves thousands of
New Yorkers each week as an irreplaceable recreational
area in a county that is already developed. [read
more] |
| 10/21/03
- These lands are the last vestige of natural ecosystems
and highly valued recreational areas which result in
thousands of tourist visits each year. They are one
of the few areas that separate Putnam County from over-developed
Westchester, providing a natural refuge and haven from
our ever-increasingly stressful lives. [read
more] |
| 10/22/03
- Is it because the forests have suddenly "forgotten"
how to manage themselves-after approximately 300 million
years of deciduous forests taking care of themselves
by a well-known process called natural selection? [read
more] |
| 10/22/03
- I am also a professional botanist and strongly believe
that genuine forests in the Hudson Highlands are rare
and what few are left are endangered by encroaching
development [read
more] |
