ChangeHampton Presents: Save the Planet, One Yard at a Time

Can Southampton save the Trees?: A New Land Clearing Ordinance

Summary:  Southampton Town Council members, Thomas Neely and Michael Iacilli discuss a new proposal to control landclearing during property development in Southampton.  After much consultation with community organizations, civic groups, environmental organizations, they are proposing a new Land Disturbance Ordinance that attempts to stipulate how many sq ft o properties of different sizes can be cleared without a permit and how much with a permit.  They discuss the significance that Southampton Town lies over top of the single source aquifer for Long Island.  Trees and native shrubs and plants play an important role in sequestering carbon, producing clean air and oxygen, controlling water movement, flooding, soil health, while supporting wildlife and pollinators. They announce the upcoming community hearing on April 28 and the prospect for the ordinance to pass. AI Summary: Episode Summary What happens when neighborhoods wake up to chainsaws and clear-cut lots, with no clear answers about whether it’s legal? In this episode of ChangeHampton Presents, Francesca Rheannon speaks with Southampton Town Board members   Michael Iasilli and Thomas Neely about a proposed Land Disturbance Ordinance designed to protect trees, wildlife habitat, water quality, and community character by closing long-standing loopholes in town code. The proposed law would establish a permitting process for land clearing and excavation on properties of 20,000 square feet or larger, with a 2,000 square foot disturbance threshold before review is triggered. The goal is not to stop reasonable development, but to prevent unnecessary overclearing before it happens, rather than trying to repair environmental damage later through imperfect revegetation. The conversation explores why tree cover and healthy soils matter for aquifer protection, flood prevention, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, and how unchecked clearing contributes to habitat loss and overdevelopment. Iasilli and Neely also discuss the extensive public process that shaped the proposal, including revisions made in response to community feedback, and why they believe this ordinance could become a model for other East End towns. Why This Matters Now As development pressure intensifies across the East End, the question is whether communities can preserve ecological resilience before it is too late. This ordinance shifts the focus from mitigation after damage is done to prevention at the start, a potentially significant change in how local environmental protection works. Key Topics * Southampton’s proposed Land Disturbance Ordinance * Overclearing and overdevelopment on the East End * Protecting aquifer recharge and water quality * Trees, carbon sequestration, and flood prevention * Wildlife habitat and pollinator protection * Revegetation versus preservation * Community input and environmental governance * Balancing property rights and ecological stewardship Quotes from Neely & Iacilli: “If we protect the aquifer as we’re doing, but ignore the land in between the aquifer and the water bodies, we risk polluting the very water that we’re trying to save as it moves through the ecosystem.”   “What we’re trying to do is get ahead of it at the beginning of the building process.”   “You don’t really get what was there for 50 years or 100 years that’s been torn away.”   “We need the pollinators. We need the insects. We need the animals to have places to live.”   “This creates that notification system… and allows the environmental division to take a look before you go ahead and just clear everything out.”   From Southampton Town: The proposed Land Disturbance Ordinance is designed to curb overdevelopment by creating a Land Disturbance permitting process that gives the Town’s Land Management department the ability to limit overclearing before it happens. Under the proposal, on properties of 20,000 square feet or larger, up to 2,000 square feet could be cleared or disturbed without additional review. Any clearing or disturbance beyond that 2,000 square foot threshold would require approval through Land Management. This review process would allow the Town’s environmental division to assess plans before construction begins, helping prevent excessive clear-cutting and other environmental damage before alterations are made. The ordinance also seeks to close loopholes in the Town Code, where current restrictions apply only within the Town’s APOD (Aquifer Protection Overlay District) areas, which cover less than half of the Town. The next Town Board hearing on this legislation will be April 28 at 6 PM at Southampton Town Hall.    More on the legislation here: https://www.southamptontownny.gov/2373/Draft-Legislation [https://www.southamptontownny.gov/2373/Draft-Legislation]

The Little Things that Rule the World: An Interview with Matthew Shepherd of Xerces Society

Summary: In this episode of Changehampton Presents, host Francesca Rheannon speaks with Matthew Shepherd of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation about the critical role insects play in sustaining ecosystems—and the alarming decline many species are facing.   From the “windshield effect” to the loss of habitat and widespread pesticide use, Shepherd explains what’s driving the disappearance of pollinators and other invertebrates. He also addresses common concerns about ticks and offers practical, science-based strategies for managing landscapes in ways that protect both human health and biodiversity.   Most importantly, this conversation is grounded in hope: even small changes—planting native flowers, reducing lawn chemicals, or creating habitat—can help restore the ecosystems that insects, birds, and humans depend on. Key Topics             •           The importance of insects in ecosystems and food webs             •           Causes of insect decline: habitat loss, pesticides, landscape management             •           The “windshield effect” and shifting baselines             •           Pollinators and their role in food production             •           Ticks and how to manage landscapes safely without widespread pesticide use             •           Lawns vs. biodiverse habitats             •           Native plants and their relationship to native insects             •           The role of insects in supporting bird populations             •           Keystone species vs. biodiversity             •           Practical steps individuals and communities can take

How East Hampton's Preservation Movement Saved the South Fork with Barry Raebeck and Rick Whalen

How East Hampton Was Saved: Voices From the Front Lines of Preservation In this episode of Changehampton Presents, we sit down with two men who didn’t just witness East Hampton’s environmental battles—they helped shape them. Rick Whelan and Barry Raebeck trace the arc of East Hampton’s modern preservation movement, from the explosive growth pressures of the 1970s and ’80s to the grassroots organizing that stopped unchecked development and permanently changed land-use policy on the South Fork. Their conversation explores the abolition of the town’s Planning Department, the fight to preserve places like Hither Woods and Northwest Woods, and the innovative policies—upzoning, setbacks, and farmland preservation—that saved thousands of acres. Before the formal start of the interview, Rick also discusses his forthcoming history of East Hampton, a sweeping project that documents the town’s hamlets, parks, preserves, and environmental struggles through archival research and interviews reaching back into the 19th century. This is a rare, first-person account of how ordinary residents, faced with extraordinary pressure, organized to protect land, water, and community—and why those lessons matter more than ever today. 🌱 Main Topics Covered * The environmental and political turning points of East Hampton in the 1970s–1980s * The abolition of the East Hampton Planning Department and its consequences * Grassroots organizing to preserve Hither Woods, Northwest Woods, and farmland * The rise and decline of local baymen and inshore fisheries * Brown tide and the collapse of the scallop industry * Upzoning, setbacks, farmland preservation, and development rights * Citizen activism across political lines * How preservation laws reshaped East Hampton’s landscape * Why local environmental history matters now Quotes: On the Abolition of the Planning Department “East Hampton crossed the Rubicon when the town board abolished the planning department in early 1982.” “They literally crossed the Rubicon at that point in time, and East Hampton has never really been the same.” On Development Pressure “At one point, every inch of space out here was for sale — and there were people that were quite happy to develop every inch of space. That includes the beaches.” “If we didn’t do something, it was going to be gone. There would literally be high-rise hotels on the beaches in Amagansett.” On the Rise of the Preservation Movement “When the planning department was abolished, there was a reaction that was across the political spectrum.” “People realized that if we didn’t act, this place would not look the way it does today.” On Fisheries and Environmental Decline “The real downturn began when I went away to law school… a brown tide came in and ruined the scallop industry.” “When scallop season opened in Northwest Harbor, there were dozens of trucks lined up… people knew they could make a lot of money.” On Innovation in Preservation Policy “Upzoning became a great means of preservation.” “You could sell the development rights but still farm the land — as long as it stayed in agricultural use.” On Love of Place “I basically fell in love with the place.”

Doing Right Ecologically and Ending in Court

In this episode of ChangeHampton Presents: Save the Planet,  One Yard at a Time, host Francesca Rheannon speaks with Long Island science teacher and homeowner Amiee Kemp, whose decision to replace her front-yard lawn with native plants landed her in court — and turned her into an accidental advocate for ecological change.   What began as a personal effort to “transform this yard into a functioning ecosystem” evolved into a powerful local test case about how suburban communities define beauty, order, and environmental responsibility. Amy describes how her garden now absorbs floodwater, supports dozens of species of birds and pollinators, and requires no pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers — yet was labeled “unsightly” by her village. Amy shares how her graduate work through Miami University’s Project Dragonfly deepened her commitment to community-based conservation, and how even small suburban lots can serve as vital ecological connectors in fragmented landscapes. She explains why native plants matter more than popular non-native “pollinator plants,” how her family’s yard is registered with Doug Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park, and what she has learned about building neighbor support through education and “cues to care.”   The conversation also highlights the deeply human side of re-wilding: Amy’s young son helping to research species, neighbors stopping by to learn about bees, and the garden becoming a living outdoor classroom. Ultimately, this episode asks a larger question: How might re-imagining our lawns help re-imagine our communities in an era of climate disruption and biodiversity loss?

Selling Sustainability: Two East Hampton realtors promote healthy & pollinator friendly yards

In this episode of Changehampton Presents, host Francesca Rheannon speaks with East Hampton real estate professionals Eileen Mullen and Michael Schultz about an unexpected but essential partnership in the shift toward healthy, sustainable, pollinator-friendly landscapes: the real estate community. Together, they explore how buyer expectations, long-standing lawn aesthetics, and misconceptions about deer, ticks, and “tidy” landscaping shape what gets planted—and what gets cleared. They also discuss how realtors, by virtue of their trusted relationships with buyers, can play a pivotal role in reframing what a beautiful, valuable, and healthy landscape looks like in the Hamptons. From addressing fears about Lyme disease to challenging the dominance of chemical-dependent lawns, from advocating for preserving mature trees to envisioning a new luxury aesthetic based on biodiversity and resilience, this conversation illuminates how real estate can help catalyze landscape change—one property at a time. Segment Summary: What You’ll Hear 1. Buyer Attitudes, Fears & Misconceptions Eileen and Michael describe the landscape anxieties that dominate buyer conversations—fear of deer, ticks, Lyme disease, and “messy” vegetation—and how these fears lead to excessive clearing and unexamined reliance on pesticides. 2. The Power of Aesthetics—and How to Change Them They discuss the entrenched Hamptons “look”: clipped hedges, large lawns, sterile green carpets. They explain how offering positive visual models, like ChangeHampton’s Town Hall pollinator gardens, is far more effective than admonishment or pamphlets. 3. Environmental & Health Impacts of Conventional Landscaping Michael outlines how fertilizers and pesticides pollute the aquifer and potentially harm humans, pets, and children. He emphasizes that the problem isn’t “lawns,” but the chemicals required to maintain them. 4. The Value Proposition of Sustainable Landscaping Can biodiversity increase property values? Eileen argues yes—when gardens are designed beautifully and communicated in terms buyers understand: “rich, natural, non-toxic, and thriving.” 5. Tree Clearing, Regulations & Builder Practices   Both guests underline the ecological devastation caused by mass tree removal. They discuss current clearing rules, enforcement gaps, and the need for policies that protect mature trees. 6. What Real Estate Agents Need Resources such as knowledgeable ecological landscapers, demonstration gardens, and collaborative education—rather than one-off pamphlets—would help realtors confidently advise clients about sustainable options. 7. Moving the Needle Across the Industry They call for broader conversations within the brokerage community, more education, and more visibility for successful pollinator-garden landscapes—from modest homes to Lily Pond estates. Key Verbatim Quotes On Buyer Fears & Misconceptions · “People are wildly afraid of deer and deer ticks and Lyme disease… there’s a complete misunderstanding as to vegetation and deer and Lyme disease.” · “Many buyers have never thought about their property maintenance. They see the green carpet lawn from suburbia and think that’s the standard.” On Reframing the Aesthetic · “If you give people something to look at—like the beautiful gardens at Town Hall—they get on board.” · “A natural landscape is richer. Perennials return, they multiply… it becomes a legacy.” On Environmental Harm · “Pesticides and fertilizers contaminate the aquifer—the very water you drink.” · “These chemicals are harmful not just to water, but to your dogs and your children.” On Value & Beauty · “A biodiverse landscape can absolutely increase value when people understand it’s beautiful and non-toxic.” · “There’s a way to make pollinator gardens and indigenous grasses look elegant—but most people don’t know what they’re looking at yet.” On the Need for Better Regulations · “It’s shocking that you can take trees down so indiscriminately here. In many states you need a permit for mature trees.” · “Builders overclear because it’s easy—then they just revegetate. But you’ve destroyed natural nitrogen filters that clean the water.”   On Educating the Industry · “We need to open this conversation with the real estate community. Buyers say ‘100% cleared,’ and no one thinks about what that means.” · “If there were examples—big homes with beautiful pollinator gardens—people would jump on. They love to follow a trend.”