I am fortunate to be the neighbor of a wonderful state park, nature's haven and the home to an array of wildlife - thousands of animals, fish, and birds. I have lived on steeling lake for 25 years   enjoying the tranquil environment and peaceful park. Throughout my years living here,  I have seen Sterling forest land become a state park which many in our area fought deligently to create. The building and land proposed for the men’s school used to be owned by NYU and was used as offices and a lab for 20-50 workers/graduate students and did not house any students. Now, there's a proposal to repurpose this space to accommodate a large school.

Normalization of such practices is a serious concern as this could potentially disrupt the natural ecosystem. The school plans to house over 200 young men, not including the teachers and the day students. This new, huge business operating in the center of such tranquility signifies an ecology in peril. Much of the forest's beauty lies in its peace, its very insulation from the chaos of city life. This sudden change in the use of land can greatly impact the biodiversity of the area and cause stress to the wildlife that has made this park their home.

Environmental concerns should always be considered, more so when changes of this magnitude are proposed. The aim should be to ensure ecosystems are not just sustained, but allowed to thrive. We must recognize the rights of wildlife and respect the survival of various species who depend on these habitats.

This state park holds a special place in my heart, as I believe, it does in yours too. We cannot allow it to be changed in a manner that does not respect its nature or its inhabitants. Our shared purpose must be to safeguard this refuge of tranquility and biodiversity. I urge you to support this petition to prevent a school from being established within our beloved state park.