[Durham INC] Duke's holding ponds and clear cutting w/ pictures

Tue Jun 12 18:41:15 EDT 2012

Duke University's holding pond and clear cutting in preparation for the ponds on Duke University Rd

Duke University's actions directly impact the Durham community. A pressing issue that directly impacts my Duke Forest neighborhood is Duke University's clear cutting on Duke University Rd (between Wannamaker and Cameron Rd and near 751) in preparation to buidling holding ponds. Curt Richardson, Professor and Duke's Director of Duke University Wetland Center, said that the project is to "save Duke University Rd from collapsing and treat 20 acres of runoff from Duke parking lots to reduce pollution into jordan reservoir, which is used as drinking supply by some cities in the Triangle."* 

The clear cutting and developing a holding pond is yet another example of the university not informing their neighbors of what the university is planning to do. Duke University's contractor began clear cutting and moving massive amounts of dirt without ever informing the neighborhood of its new intensions** either by holding a meeting or via email. It quite frustrates me that Duke University did not have the courtesy to let the neighborhood know of their revised plan in advance of their starting to take action. I firmly believe that when people are directly impacted by a situation that they have the right to know what will happen, have their questions addressed and to make comments. We were never given the opportunity to express ourselves. There might have been a slight possibility that the community's input could have had some influence on the project. 

I am asking that Duke University change their approach and from now on keep their neighbors in the loop. In the future I like for Duke to inform the community of their intensions, what their final plans are after a proposal has been altered in a major manner and the length of time a project is expected to continue. 

The noise emanating from heavy equipment that is moving dirt is yet another example of Duke University not abiding by Durham's noise ordinance. According to Durham's noise ordinance work that creates noise above a certain decibel is to begin after 8 a.m. and nosies over a certain level are to stop at 11 p.m. The bulldozers start before 8 in the morning on a regular basis. 

Duke has rarely abided by the City of Durham's noise ordinance since I moved here around 2 years ago. (During my first year occasionally neighbors were informed of events, but after the staff person who was assigned to inform the community job position changed, we were only emailed about a couple of events. Given the number of activities that occur on Duke's campus it is very difficult and time consuming to sort through Duke's web site on a regular basis to determine which event might impact the neighborhood.) Duke's live music frequently continues after 11 p.m. I would like Duke to inform the surrounding neighborhoods well in advance of every pending sports event and concert. I would appreciate it if Duke to comply with Durham's noise ordinance on an ongoing basis by decreasing the volume of their sound systems during sports events and concerts. Noise coming from Duke's campus continues from the campus boundaries and into the surrounding neighborhoods.  

Duke's project is impacting my quality of life. I am disturbed by the noise that the tree cutting produced and constant sounds of the equipment that the moving of large amounts of soil is creating. Aesthetically I do not like seeing forests that have been clear cut. 

When it comes to the management of Duke Forest in general I know that there are alternative means of managing forests than applying even age timbering. Individual, uneven age selective tree management has proven successful for over 50 years. I approve of individual, uneven age selective tree management. People have been using clear cutting and even age methodology for many years therefore it is my opinion that clear cutting is no longer necessary to be demonstrated as an experiment. 

I wrote a letter to Duke' Director of Wetland planner (Curt Richardson of the Duke School of the Environment), Duke officials, Durham's elected officials and staff, environmental and community activists letting them know my thoughts about Duke's activities. 

> * Curt's entire response to my letter is - I appreciate your "citizens view" of the project and your own personal
> concerns.  However, as you may recall the engineers and I met with
> many of the neighbors on this project over a year ago and went over
> the plans.  I believe you were not able to attend. Most of the project
> (Phase V) was not funded but the most pressing piece of restoration
> was recently funded by the Clean Water Management Trust Fund through a
> grant submitted to the them by  the Durham Soil and Water Management
> District.  This is a critical project to save Duke University Road
> from collapsing and treat 20 acres of runoff from Duke parking lots to
> reduce pollution into jordan reservoir, which is used as a drinking
> supply by some cities in the Triangle.   Maintaining high water
> quality in Jordan Lake is a high priority for the State, City of
> Durham and Duke. Finally, I   was also concerned with the number of
> trees we had to remove but professionally speaking one cannot build
> two BMP treatment wetlands with mature trees that have not developed
> in wet soils and selectively cutting trees is not an option since
> leaving  mature trees in the middle  of a treatment wetland would
> result in a lot of dead trees who would die from excess standing
> water.  We will be planting a number of new appropriate species once
> the construction is complete. A new release covering full details of
> the project is available at http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/.
> 
> Prof Richardson 

> If you would like to have express your response to Duke's project you may call Curt Richardson, Duke's Director of Duke University Wetland Center, at 919-613-8006. The general number for the Wetland Center is (919) 613-8009. The head person for Duke University's contractor, Riverworks, Will Paterson, can be reached at (919) 459-9001. Riverwork's web address is www.riverwork.com . 
> 
> To read more you may go to: 
> 
> http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/news/restored-wetland-site-will-treat-20-acres-of-duke-campus-runoff?utm_source=click&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=hpbanners

> ** Originally residents of Cranford Rd had been told that there would be a phase of "stream naturalization" behind our homes. I think that having stream naturalization might be a good thing but I believe that there are more than one approach to reach that outcome. Residents of Cranford Rd were informed invasive speciies fo plants were going to be removed. I do not approve of cutting down almost every tree in order to have "stream naturalization." Later we heard that the state no longer had funds to do any more "stream restoration"at this particular site.

Laura Drey
2248 Cranford Rd
Durham, NC 27705

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