Friends of the Forest hope to save Naylor Mill

Brian Knode is the public outreach coordinator for the Friends of the Forest. It’s a group of community members banding together to save the Naylor Mill Forest. 

Knode says, “Water is a concern. Trees are a concern. There isn’t anything like this on the eastern shore that I’ve been able to determine.”

The forest could be in jeopardy. Wicomico County has proposed an athletic complex to build fields to accommodate the USSSA softball tournament.

To build the fields, crews would destroy the forest. County Executive Bob Culver tells 47 ABC the project would bring in upwards of $12 million dollars to Wicomico County during one tournament alone, doubling the number of teams participating.    

However, the Friends of the Forest believe the economic impact isn’t enough to justify the build. There is no guarantee the tournament will continue to come back to the county. Supporters also believe the fields can’t supply to same natural benefits of a forest, like managing storm water runoff.

Gabriel Matyiko, a member of the Friends of the Forest says, “Forests help retain the water and help it filter when it hits the ground. It goes straight down to the aquifer as fast as possible.”

Friends of the Forest also note that it provides a free outlet for children to play, an educational resource for students, and trails for bikers and runners. They’re offering their ideas to keep the forest and still give the county its fields.

Matyiko goes on, “Possibly securing parcels of land that could be for sale or have already been already cleared.”

For the county’s plan to move forward; there’s another hurdle to clear. The site at Naylor Mill Forest belongs to Salisbury.  Next Monday, city council will hold a public hearing about the proposal. Friends of the Forest say they will be there.

Matyiko says, “We are a vested interest in what happens one way or another. We want to make sure that the best decision is being made. From our perspective, having that forest destroyed doesn’t play into that statement in any way shape or form.”

The public hearing will be held at the government building in Salisbury at 6 p.m. next Monday.