EarthFest survey: Apex residents list tree canopy and biodiversity as top concerns; public commenter urges stronger protections

Staff reported the EarthFest survey received 59 total responses (19 on the day of the event and 40 via the town newsletter), with 50 respondents saying they live in Apex. The top environmental concerns were loss of tree canopy (49 votes), loss of biodiversity, and pollution of rivers and reservoirs; other issues included flooding, urban heat‑island effects and lighting.

Staff noted demographic findings (majority aged 55 and older) and said the town's sustainability action plan remains unfamiliar to many residents, suggesting more outreach would be useful. Staff also described planned pollinator programming and invited volunteers for an Apex Nature Park gardening‑for‑wildlife event on June 11 and an afternoon in the garden on June 27.

At public comment, Christopher Stewart identified himself as a member of the Tuscarora tribe and urged the board to stop the decimation of trees and habitat, framing it as a cultural obligation. "When we kill an animal for food, we pray over it because that's honoring where they came from," Stewart said, adding that seeing trees disappear for profit is painful and that contractors who remove trees should be required to replace them.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and discussed options including better outreach, compiling roadkill/location data to identify wildlife hot spots, and presenting the sustainability plan to the board.