By Ives Mikol

My name is Yves Mikol.

Thank you for the opportunity to share comments.

My well is on the aquifer that stretches from Route 212 to Malden Turnpike.

The Beaverkill flows through my property, downstream from the largest proposed housing project in the county’s history.

By Marc Brodkin

In the mid-1800s the Hudson River School of artists Frederick Church and Thomas Cole, immortalized

in their inspiring paintings, the Hudson River Valley. And yet, at the same time, they worried over the

fate of this natural treasure. They feared the coming industrial age and its impact on the landscape.

Nonetheless, development at that time was necessary for the prosperity of this area.

By Janell O'Rourke

The Hudson River Valley is one of the richest regions in New York State for biodiversity; 85% of

NYS Amphibian Species, 73% of NYS Reptile Species, 87% of Breeding Bird Species and 92% of

NYS Mammals. Winston Farm is part of the Hudson River Estuary, the mixed geography

provides unfragmented, ecologically significant habitat. The most important dilemma facing

wildlife in an increasingly urbanized world, is lack of safe passage and continuous open space. A

healthy, intact ecosystem means survival for both resident and migratory animals in our region

and provides foraging, nesting, breeding and cover habitat for all species. Wildlife biologists

have identified animals and plants that are designated as threatened under the Endangered

Species Act on the Winston Farmlands; among them - the Red-Headed Woodpecker, Four Toed

Salamander, Bald Eagle and the Indiana Bat. Of special concern are the Wood Turtle, Eastern

Bluebird and the butterfly species Monarch, Tawney Emperor and Northern Oak Hairstreak. To

date, Monarch butterflies will get federal protections as a threatened species. The U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of 2025.

Several rare plant species were identified on Winston Farm: Winged Monkeyflower, Small

flowered Agrimony and Green Rock Cress are listed as endangered in NYS.

By Janet Asiain

My Beautiful Saugerties colleagues have spoken about what’s at stake on Winston Farm in

terms of habitat and biodiversity loss. I want to talk about why those things matter.

Biodiversity loss is one of the main “tipping point” indicators of the global ecological catastrophe,

one of the several events (along with global warming, ocean acidification, topsoil depletion, and

a few others) that will take our civilization down if we don’t change course. All species, plants

and animals, including birds, insects, and human beings, are interdependent. Lose only a few

species and the whole system will come crashing down. We are on our way to achieving that

horrifying outcome.