The Lake George Planning Board temporarily halted a tree cutting plan near King Phillip's Campground on Bloody Pond Road in Lake George. The proposal includes removal of 992 hazardous trees in roadways and campsite pads as an expansion of the campsite is planned at a later date.
“Trees are very important in providing the atmosphere of a campground,” said Christian Gearwar of Lake George Forestry. He spoke on behalf of the campground owners.
According to Gearwar, many of the trees to be removed had been consumed by the spongy moth (or gypsy moth) infestation. Although many trees survive, death occurs when a spongy moth permanently damages a tree by eating up to a square foot of tree leaves in just one day.
“A lot of the big oaks haven’t leafed out, which tells me they’re not going to survive. Those trees are a hazard and have to come out. They present a danger,” he said.
He added that the other trees — the healthy ones — will remain because they provide the most significant campground aesthetics, and provide a natural experience.
The proposal stalled when board member Nathan Hall raised concerns about its language, specifically regarding clear cutting swaths of trees to make way for roadways that don’t currently exist in the harvest plan.
Gearwar admitted to the board that he was hired to clear the trees to make space for roadways for future development.
This called into question the state-required environmental review of the project. Approval of the larger clear-cut should come as part of the overall plan for the land being cleared. Planning board members feared that they could be accused of “segmenting” the plan, or considering just one element of a larger plan, a move that does not follow state law.
“It’s the cart before the horse,” board member Richard Osborne said.
“I have no problem with campgrounds, or selectively harvesting trees,” said Hall. “It’s an appropriate clear-cutting plan, and I recognize that trees died, but for specific locations like this I think it has to be one big project proposal.”
Director of Planning and Zoning, Dan Barusch, said he will meet with the owners this week about the campground project.
“This harvesting proposal has a nexus to the campground project. Both have environmental quality review,” he said. “Procedurally, there’s no reason to split them up.”
Barusch recommended to the board to table the proposal. The planning board unanimously agreed.