Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Lands topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident recounts Drew Forest restoration history during Madison council public comment
Summary
A longtime Madison resident urged council and public to preserve Drew University's adjacent forest, detailing past restoration efforts including a $155,000 philanthropic gift, deer-fence installation and volunteer plantings that renamed the area Hepburn Woods.
During the meeting’s public comment period a longtime resident, Catherine (last name not provided), spoke about the ecological restoration of the Drew University forest preserve and urged continued preservation. The remarks recounted restoration work, donor support and community involvement in establishing what volunteers now call Hepburn Woods.
The speaker described the preserve’s earlier condition — invasive plants, deer browsing and a decline of native wildflowers — and cited a $155,000 gift that financed deer fencing and restoration work. She quoted language from an article and a Drew sustainability brochure noting volunteer plantings of roughly 1,300 seedlings and cooperation with New Jersey Audubon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
‘‘I was in tears just to think oaks will grow here again,’’ the speaker quoted from a participant in the restoration, invoking the community value placed on the woodland. The comment framed the forest as a shared local asset used for teaching and recreation and appealed to the council and public to remember the work already invested in restoration as planning continues.
The speaker’s remarks were delivered during the general public-comment portion of the meeting and the council acknowledged the history and value of the forest preserve during the session. No formal council action followed the comment at this meeting.
