Saw Mill River Audubon Society has sued a Chappaqua couple for allegedly removing numerous trees from Pruyn Sanctuary.
Audubon is demanding reparations from Yosef Harous and Rebecca Cole Marshall, in a complaint filed Dec. 19 in Westchester Supreme Court, for “actions that constitute an offense to public morals.”
Pruyn Sanctuary is a 92-acre reserve in New Castle that includes hiking trails; boardwalks through the Gedney Swamp; a butterfly and hummingbird garden; and habitat for trees, native plants and birds. Audubon’s headquarters is on the west side of the sanctuary near Millwood.
Haroush and Marshall own a 5.25-acre property that abuts the east side of the sanctuary.
On July 19, according to the complaint, a New Castle environmental official alerted Audubon that violation notices had been issued to the couple for removing more than 500 trees from their property and from the sanctuary.
Audubon discovered piles of tree trunks stacked eight feet high on its land, according to the complaint. The organization calculated that more than 30 mature sanctuary trees had been bulldozed and more trees were so severely damaged that they would probably die.
The group also determined that trees, debris and fill from the couple’s property were dumped on its property and that the debris and fill changed the sanctuary’s slope and drainage.
Audubon claims it is entitled to $250 per tree or three times the market value if the trees had been harvested, or both, as well as the costs of repairing damages to the land.
The group characterizes its demands as reparations for restoring the property to its previous condition.
Audubon is also seeking unspecified punitive damages for alleged trespass and for creating public and private nuisances.
The organization is represented by Purchase attorney Perry Dean Freedman.
