Man Charged In Deforestation Of Nesconset Park: Suffolk DA

NESCONSET, NY — A Mastic man was arrested on felony criminal mischief and other charges after he was accused of intentionally damaging parkland in the undeveloped wilderness of Walter S. Commerdinger Jr. County Park in Nesconset, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Wednesday.

Terence Wolffe, 41, traveled to an off-trail area inside the park to clear and excavate a personal "hang-out" spot in the woods, the DA said.

"The destruction of county parklands is an affront to our quality of life in Suffolk County," Tierney said in a news release. "We will never stand by and allow Suffolk's beautiful and unique ecosystem to be compromised. I commend our county's Park Rangers for their diligence in this case and look forward to further strengthening the working partnership between our offices."

Wolffe used machetes, axes and shovels to chop down native trees and vegetation, dig up ground-brush, thatch, soil, dirt and earth from an area approximately 1,150 square-feet in dimension, officials said. Wolffe would then pile the displaced brush, soil, and tree limbs on nearby parkland, smothering other native vegetation, authorities said.

While some trees in the area were left standing, Wolffe had hacked and sectioned their roots, causing severe and fatal damage that, in turn, jeopardized those on trails from falling timber, investigators said.

Wolffe dug so deep in certain spots that water flow was redirected from nearby wetlands into the cleared zone, prosecutors said. Preliminary environmental estimates place the replacement value of the felled trees and cleared plants at approximately $20,000, the DA said.

"This number does not incorporate restoration of the parkland’s natural grade; nor does it incorporate the extensive labor and equipment costs for remediation," the DA's Office wrote.

Wolffe was arrested on Tuesday.

Park Rangers assigned to the Targeted Response Unit helped lead to Wolffe's arrest, Chief Park Ranger Steve Laton said.

"The Rangers' actions coupled with D.A. Tierney's tough stance on environmental crimes prevented further destruction of environmentally sensitive county parkland," Laton said.

Wolffe was arraigned Wednesday on charges of second-degree criminal mischief and multiple related Environmental Conservation Law and Suffolk County Code violations. Under New York state law, the charges are not considered bail eligible, so Wolffe was released on his own recognizance, the DA said. He is due back in court on Dec. 11.