www.SaveDukeGardens.org |
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Updated August 18th: Miss Duke's Gardens in central NJ were closed
to the public 'forever' in May. Smaller plants may be removed from mid-June (WSJ article).
HOWEVER: it is illegal to remove any substantial plantings from Duke Gardens at this time. Unless laws are broken, the irreplaceable substance of Duke Gardens is intact until Duke Farms goes before the Hillsborough Planning Board at a public meeting in the fall. There is still a reason to join the 5,050 protesters before you. Wherever you live, do not think that your voice is not needed! 1600 protests was not enough for the Trustees to reconsider their action. What will it take? We are actively lobbying the Governor and the press, and investigating the financial history of the Gardens. Open/edit a prewritten email Join nearly 500 people requesting Gov. Corzine to protect NJ heritage and tourism. If this link is not recognized (eg by embarqmail), emailing ToBeSeenByGovCorzine@savedukegardens.org ensures your letter is seen. The Trustees below proudly say: "[our] decisions about the future opportunities for Duke Farms have been properly vetted and are totally within the discretion of the boards under New York state law, as approved by the New York Attorney General." "And we will probably be judged not by the monuments we build but by those we have destroyed" NYT editorial following destruction of Penn Station, 1963  President of Board Joan E. Spero
Director, IBM DDCF Compensation: $329,902 (Half-time;2005)  Chair of Board Nannerl Keohane (Nan "Koh-han") Director, IBM Former President Duke University Compensation: $126,078 (60 hours per year;2005) Vice Chair at time of closure John Mack Mr Mack is now listed as a Trustee Emeritus CEO, Morgan Stanley Compensation: $126,078 (60 hours per year; 2005)  Vice Chair Dr Anthony Fauci Trustee at time of closure Director, NIAID Served without compensation (2005)  Trustee John H.T. Wilson Advisory Director, Morgan Stanley Served without compensation (2005)  Trustee Peter Nadosy Advisory Director, Morgan Stanley Compensation: ? New since 2005  Trustee John E. Zucotti Chair, Brookfield Properties Compensation: ? New since 2005  Trustee Dr Harry B. Demopolous CEO, Thyogen Pharmaceuticals Compensation: $126,078 (60 hours per year; 2005)  Trustee James F. Gill Robinson, Silverman, Pearce, Aronsen & Berman LLP Compensation: $126,078 (76 hours per year; 2005)  Trustee Dr W. H. Schlesinger Professor, Duke University Compensation: ? New since 2005  Trustee Anne Hawley Director, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Compensation: $126,078 (60 hours per year; 2005) Hillsborough Local code Article IX regulates "removal of any tree on an improved nonresidential lot" and "other activities that will adversely affect the lifespan of the tree" (S188-162) and covers "any flowering or ornamental tree with a caliper measurement of three inches or greater" (S188-161). Planning board approval is required for all tree removal, and a mitigation plan must be presented (S188-163). Duke Farms has been made aware of this law by local officials. Duke Farms has not yet presented a mitigation plan nor gone before the Hillsborough Planning Board. Their next opportunity to do so will not be until September 2008. It will be a public meeting. Illegal tree removal is a class C violation for each tree, and for each day the offense continues without application to the Planning Board. (Section 188-166). Violating a Hillsborough ordinance carries a fine of $2000. |
Doris Duke personally designed and created these Gardens to honor the father she adored, who died when she was twelve. Duke Gardens are equal in size to the Haupt Conservatory, the centerpiece of the New York Botanical Gardens. They were opened to the public in 1964, and were a major tourist destination despite no advertising.
Many people have put their beautiful pictures in flickr           |
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