By John Peck
A logging operation on property neighboring Peck lands has expanded within view of South Shore Road. The landowner has prescribed a heavy cut, and the logger has made what the Peck family considers a mess of the cutting area. Residents have certainly noticed the operation and justly have questions and concerns about the proximity of the cutting area to South Shore Road and the unsightliness of the project. The Peck family is equally disgusted with the sloppy operation near South Shore Road. We have contacted NY DEC with several concerns. We are conducting a resurvey of our adjoining property lines this week. Please be aware that this is not a Peck family operation. The work area is part of a neighboring property owner’s land, which borders the road closely for a short distance.
A bit of history. When the lakebed was expanded with the building of the dams in 1910, the Peck family boundary land was reduced significantly on a small section of the southern shoreline. When my Grandfather and Great Uncle were planning the construction of South Shore Road, they purchased additional lands from the neighbor to ensure the continuity of our boundary lands and to protect the private status of Peck’s Lake (no way to access the waters of Peck’s Lake without crossing lands of Peck). I was not born when this purchase was made, but the neighbor was a logger and ran a sawmill, so they were unwilling to sell more than necessary, resulting in a tight border along a small section of the road. It is a shame that the neighbor is allowing such a hard cut, but it is his property. We will do our best to keep the logger compliant with DEC regulations.
While some level of forest disruption is expected with any harvest operation, the Peck family land holding companies work with a globally recognized professional forest management service to provide long-term planning, pre-harvest preparation, on-site harvest, and post-harvest management services. Our objective is to manage our forest lands while responsibly mitigating aesthetic impact.