More habitat gone
Less than a mile and around the corner on the paved road, there is a substantial vernal pool along the road. I drove by the other day and that property owner had his entire piece "selectively cut", meaning everything, including the understory, was removed, leaving a handful of scattered oaks-all the way down to the vernal pool. State regulations say 40% removal within 75 feet of wetlands every ten years but this type of clearing seems to be the new normal. Speaking of our beloved state of Maine, I was shocked to see what the DOT has been up in the state capital of Augusta. The state highway passes through/along the city, and there are several exit and entrance ramps for access. Basically they are a big circle with a large amount of land in the middle. Originally when they put them in, they did planting such as pine -not white pine, one of the shorter varieties-and it was quite attractive, acting as a visual buffer as well as a sound, wind, and pollution break. ...