WASHINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Minutes- February 6, 2003

1.0 Assembly: Time 7:00 p.m.

Present: Sandy Robinson, Carol Andrews, John Tweedy, Jed Schwartz, Nan Schwartz, Peter France.

2.0 Approval of Minutes: John moved that we approve the minutes as printed. Second by Jed. Motion passed.

3.0 Old Business:

3.1 Dredge and Fill Committee: One Minimum Impact Expedited Application was signed after a site visit, and review of application. This was for a driveway permit in LAE (Madison Drive).

3.2 Jed and Nan brought in printed copies of the website. Thanks to Jed, Nan, and John Hofstetter for their good work! We need to work on descriptions of trails in town. Specifically we need information on the Camp Morgan trails. It would also be nice to have a map of the snowmobile trails in Washington. John suggested that it would be interesting to pick a point in town and gather historical aerial photographs showing the changes through the years. It will be important to make the website interactive in some way. For instance, we could have people report sightings of wildlife.

3.3 New State Law on Residential Trash Burning:

A new law that you should be aware of: Effective January 1st state law prohibits residential trash burning. You may still burn (with a permit) clean untreated wood, leaves and brush, campfires, etc. Burning these materials outside is now illegal: household trash, packaging materials, coated or laminated papers, painted or treated wood, coated or treated cardboard, animal, vegetable, and kitchen waste, plastics, rubber, oily rags.

What are the dangers?

Trash contains inks, dyes, chlorine, plastics, toxic metals and a variety of synthetic materials that can produce toxins when burned, especially at low temperatures and low oxygen levels typically present in burn barrels. Dioxin and other highly toxic chemicals are released into the air when trash is burned outdoors. Smoke and toxic emissions from burning trash stay close to the ground, affecting your family and neighbors, especially children. It can be both a health and fire hazard.

Burning a week's worth of trash from a single home in an open barrel can put as much of some toxic chemicals (such as dioxin) in the air as a well-controlled municipal incinerator burning the trash from thousands of homes!

3.4 Carol read an e-mail from Brian Hotz, the land protection specialist for southwest NH at the Society for the Protection of NH Forests.

“I am happy to inform you all that the proposed Pillsbury/Sunapee Highlands Forest Legacy Project is scheduled to receive $2,530,000 in the President’s proposed FY ’04 budget. In fact the project ranked third in the nation!!!! I want to thank you all for your letters of support and help on getting to this stage. Obviously, we have a lot more work but this is the biggest hurdle we needed to get over.”

3.5 Carol reminded everyone of the Journey’s End hike on February 15^th. You must sign up with the Forest Society (call Trish Churchill @ 224-9945). If you are not a member of SPNHF, just tell them that you are a Conservation Commission member and you will not be charged the $5 fee.

3.6 Carol brought a copy of the mercury analysis for the fish caught in Halfmoon Pond. Three fish were submitted: Yellow Perch, 132 grams, 562 parts per billion mercury concentration; Largemouth Bass 330 g, 294 ppb; Largemouth Bass 750 g, 829 ppb. The bigger they are the more heavy metals! The NH Dept. of Health and Human Services has issued a statewide general advisory for all inland freshwater bodies for mercury and has issued safe eating guidelines. For more information go to the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services Website:

http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/HLTHRISKASSESS/LIBRARY/Fact+Sheet/C3.htm

3.7 What’s happening in nature? John Tweedy remarked on the incredible ability of squirrels in his yard to find the acorns quickly and efficiently, even under all this snow. How do they do that?

Carol saw a flying squirrel on her deck a few nights ago. It was eating the seeds that fell into a hole in the snow under the bird feeder. Apparently flying squirrels are very common, but we don’t see them because they are nocturnal.

Here are a few facts about the flying squirrel:

There are two species of flying squirrels that are likely to be here in Washington. The northern flying squirrel prefers conifers and the southern prefers the mixed deciduous forest.

They don’t actually fly, they glide.

Flying squirrels roll their babies into balls for transportation from nest to nest.

Northern flying squirrels grow fur on the soles of their feet in winter.

They tend to aggregate in numbers in hollow trees (or in your house). They are much less territorial than other rodents.

The furry vestment that drapes from wrist to ankle on each side of the flying squirrel’s body is called a patagium. The patagium contains a complex arrangement of muscles. These control the direction of flight. Ropelike muscles along the outer edge hold the airfoil taut. Additional muscles are used to hold the patagium close to the body when they are on foot. This patagium also acts as a blanket to keep the babies warm.

Glides of 150 feet are not unheard of, and downslope distances of 300 feet have been recorded.

Their eyes shine orange at night.

There seem to be a lot of Tufted Titmice at the bird feeder this winter.

4.0 Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1 No activity

5.0 New Business

5.1 We now have $226.01 in the Conservation Fund. Recent donations were made in memory of Yura Chute.

6.0 Correspondence:

Wildlines- NH Fish and Game’s newsletter for the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program

NHDES Environmental News

UMASS Extension – winter conference and eco-marketplace

Conservation Commission News

7.0 Adjournment:

7.1 Next Meeting Date: March 6th at 7:00 at the Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol K. Andrews

Secretary

cc: Board of Selectmen

Planning Board