For the Restoration and Preservation of Armacost Park

To the Editor:
I’m responding to a number of negative articles published by a local news source concerning objections by a few residents opposed to the Healthy Forestry Initiative at Armacost Park. They do not speak for the majority of residents and I’m disappointed that the news source failed to investigate the facts.
I’m a long time Avalon resident living directly across the street from the park. I have witnessed the park’s decay over the past 30 years. The ecology has changed dramatically and if left unchecked, we will lose this natural resource along with the birds that nest and feed here. There is uncontrolled growth of invasive phragmites that has taken over the park, strangling everything in its path.
The species has encroached on the park’s perimeter close to homes posing a fire hazard during dormant season. This is not just my view. It is the view of the Avalon Environmental Commission and numerous experts employed by the borough of Avalon. The commission is comprised of highly educated resident-volunteers and don’t take their position lightly. The commission and experts approached the problem responsibly and in a scientific manner. In fact, an expert hired by a member of the opposition came to the same conclusion and recommendations. Doing nothing to stem the tide of decay would be irresponsible.
Maritime restoration is not new to our area. Stone Harbor took corrective action recently on invasive vines in a bird sanctuary with success. Currently, Cape May Point is in the process of cutting invasive vines to release trees from certain death. In January, Avalon Borough Council voted unanimously to take the first step in restoration with a pilot project, and I commend them on that decision.
The initiative called for the cutting of damaging vines in place in one section of the park. This action would keep the vines from strengthening, ultimately killing trees. Handheld cutting tools under supervision of the Lomax Consulting Group, the general contractor, and the Avalon department of public works were used. No heavy equipment was used or vines uprooted in this “cut and leave” operation. On some vines, a chainsaw was used to sever the vine infrastructure because they were too thick to cut with a hedge trimmer.
Unfortunately the aforementioned news source chose to sensationalize the effort by calling it a “chainsaw massacre” without investigating the facts. It based its reporting on non-facts and innuendos by a select few armchair environmentalists who failed to appear at many public meetings where various studies and reports were openly reviewed, and discussed.
The news source suggested that a referendum be conducted to vote on the matter. Nonsense! This is a costly and unnecessary process. We have elected officials who are responsible for governing and doing what’s in the best interest of all residents… and they have done a great job! Many informational briefings were made to the community over the years on the project.
The Avalon Land and Homeowners Association, which represents over 1,000 property owners, has fully endorsed this project. The views of a small handful of people who attend meetings to oppose and criticize everything public servants try to do to make our community better do not represent the majority, and certainly do not represent scientific research that support this project, and others.