When the Wayne Township purchased a beautifully wild 12-acre tract of land on Alps Road, residents of the busy street remained optimistic, knowing that their generally pro-environmental town was now in the possession of the patch located near De Paul and Walgreen’s parking lot.  

The land was purchased from the state’s Green Acres program initially designed to protect the area from being polluted. When the territory came into Wayne’s official possession, the board decided to utilize it as a giant center for soccer and lacrosse fields in order to accommodate the growing enthusiasm in youths towards athletic activities.

These new fields were set to be built in 2013, but the project was halted until 2017.

The plan, however, was not adored by everyone. In fact, a petition went around Wayne in which residents signed to prevent the destruction of the 12-acre forest. Unfortunately, the environmentalists did not get enough signatures to save the trees.

While the decision to clear the wood certainly has its pros, there are far more serious cons to the whole situation.

Being an athlete myself, I support the funding of athletic programs because I view sports as a healthy way to promote both self-esteem and strength of character. However, as an Alps Road resident and environmentalist, I find myself utterly opposed to the tearing down of those trees.

Here’s the general idea: the fields will serve a useful purpose to Wayne’s population. There will be permanent spots for soccer and lacrosse practices. Furthermore, there will be less confrontation in booking spaces for games since the 12-acre lot will have room to fit both.

On the other hand, while the land sat unoccupied by humans, it served as a whole ecosystem for animals that have already been pushed out of their original habitats. Personally, I’ve had the pleasure of taking a stroll through the “abandoned” woods last spring and I was felt deep fascination towards the beautiful white blossoms, chattering birds, and herds of silently content deer grazing in the forest. These poor creatures had found their own safe haven away from the bustling roads and car-honking highways that populate Wayne.

The citizens of Alps Road and nearby streets now have to deal with a bare scenery marred with the view of the rambunctious Hamburg Turnpike. Along with that, they must also expect an influx of fleeing animals. Deer, which are high carriers of ticks and Lyme disease, will have no choice but to recede into the meager green lawns of Wayne homes. 

Moreover, the pesticides in the lawns and constant flow of cars can serve as a major factor leading to the decrease in the Wayne wildlife. The animals who had previously hidden in the little patch, have already been seen trespassing through properties, barely avoiding being hit by the traffic.

After driving past the torn down area Senora Claudia Schalago stated, “My thought on that whole thing is, that it’s good for the kids. I think, however, that Wayne should plant the same amount of trees they ripped out, but somewhere else. Trees give life, and we have to give it back. If you’re going to take away beautiful nature, you should give an equal amount back.”