A new plan approved by the town council will allow the removal or severe cutting of thousands of trees, shrubs and vegetation in a 150-acre area. This will leave the island dangerously vulnerable to hurricane storm surges. Without a natural barrier to mitigate the impact of these surges, the island will face these dangerously tall walls of water head on. 

    The plan also negatively impacts island resiliency and public health. It will remove trees that serve as storm water pumps to protect the public from water-borne diseases and introduce the use of herbicides/poisons. These chemicals could damage the forest and the wildlife that lives there. Land set aside for the enjoyment and education of the public would be destroyed. ​These toxins could also seep into the local water table or run into local marsh used for recreation. 

    Alongside the island’s removal of the vegetation, worsening climate change will continue to raise sea levels and degrade the maritime forest at alarming rates. Hundreds of species will soon face losing their habitat. Endangered Sea Turtles could face extinction as removing vegetation introduces light pollution into their nesting areas. Removal of these trees will only accelerate further atmospheric warming and the consequences of global warming. It is essential that actions be taken soon to prevent further loss of this essential environment.