While walking my dog through the woods at the corner of Rte 236 and Bolt Hill Road, I came to a sad realization... Within a matter of months, the woods would be replaced, and the wildlife displaced, by a housing complex.

In the past, I have noticed the current residents, which include wild turkeys, pheasants and white tail deer, taking a stroll up Bolt Hill Road. Considering they came to our neighborhood, I figured that they wouldn't mind if I visited theirs. It seemed somewhat ironic that I often drove past this stretch of woods on my way to Wiggly Bridge or the woods in Kittery, never realizing that we had such a beautiful and diverse wildlife sanctuary in our own town. While looking for tracks in the newly fallen snow, I was astounded, not only by the amount of species that resided there, but also in the number. I began to wonder who, if anyone would be speaking up for them.

Throughout the past several months, I've read many reports pertaining to the proposed housing at this location as well as the proposed Mobile Home Park on White Tail Ridge. I've read about concerns for street length requirements. I've read about concerns for traffic and access. To date, however, I have yet to see anything about requirements pertaining to the wildlife population that currently inhabits the woodlands here and what steps, if any, are being taken to ensure that their habitat is not completely destroyed.

As far as I could tell, there were no studies done on the number of deer, their current habitat, requirements, and traveling routes. I also found nothing pertaining to the impact that changing the deer's habitat would have on both them and the residents. For example, if a population of 30+ deer suddenly need to cross Route 236 twice a day to reach their new water supply, is that going to add to the accidents on an already deadly highway? If these studies were done, the information is not being properly publicized nor does it seem to be figured into the requirements for building in these locations.

In my opinion, if we insist on building in the woodland areas of our town, we need to express our concerns to those who are building to ensure that we can co-exist with our wildlife population.

I explained these concerns to various people throughout the town, surprised to find how many residents thought something should be done, yet were hesitant to do or say anything about it; most stating that their concerns would not matter, get caught up in "red tape" or fall upon deaf ears. That may be the case, but if you don't speak up, you can't be heard... and nothing will change, aside from our deer population.

At the very least, if we are going to drive the White Tailed Deer from White Tail Ridge, we should at least change the street name... It's only fair.

Editorial by: Doug Minghella

© Eliot Town Journal - February 9th, 2007