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"If managed forests are better for
the water than old growth forests, why didn't someone tell God?"
Folks,
The race for preservation of the Highlands forests
in Putnam County is in full swing - so to test your knowledge
of the issues here's a little question:
Q: In Putnam County, where are the Old Growth
forests?
A: There are none - yet! Our forests are just
now reaching early maturity at about 60-80 years of age. When
grandpa was here there were precious few trees in these hills.
In a region that places a high value on its forests
and rare open spaces as a recreational and visual resource accessible
to nearly 100 million Americans,(1) in a unique environment world
renown for it's beauty and splendor you'd think preservation of
this special place would be easy! But the anti-preservationists
are mounting a campaign against the permanent preservation of
our maturing Highlands forests.
All we are seeking from DEC is to allow their
forests here (just ~1700 out of 3000 acres, that's all!) to mature
to a ripe old age, for nature to complete the healing process
it began 80 years ago, to help us manage these lands by removing
invasive species like bittersweet, russian olive and others, and
to give us the opportunity to
present these recovering natural ecosystems as
a gift to our future. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Wildife Speaks out on DEC's Management Plans
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And yes, it's really that simple.
Here are some comments from others of like mind:
- "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."
- "But Nimham Mountain currently serves
thousands of New Yorkers each week as an irreplaceable recreational
area in a county that is already developed."
- "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."
- "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?"
- "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"
To learn more about how you can help preserve
the state owned forests in Putnam's Highlands visit: http://www.planputnam.org/highlands
Pictures, images, stories and articles, sample
letters and important contact addresses are all there. Write a
letter. Make a phone call. Take action today.
Say "YES!"
to Preservation!
(1) DEC Hudson Highlands Unit Management
Plan (May 1994)
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