Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – February 24, 2021

Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Meeting conducted online using ZOOM.

Members present: Arin Mills, Johanna Young, Jed Schwartz and Nan Schwartz.

Visitors: None

1.0 Approval of Minutes: the January minutes were approved as written.

2.0 Permits Committee -

New: Ball – Forestry PBN, TM 15-166

Previous: Johnson/Kimball – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 25-93

Bologna – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 24-91

Barkie/Colette - Complaint of violations, TM 12-69, over clearing of waterfront zone

Demore – Shoreland Permit approved, TM 24-72

Steiner – PBN Wetlands permit, boathouse pier replacement, beach replenishment – permit approved

Prentiss – Shoreland permit approved, Ashuelot Drive, TM 10-21

Pellegrino – Shoreland permit, 2191 Valley Road, TM 25-45

Neubert – Shoreland permit approved, 216 Cove Road, TM 24-116

Mensch – follow up letter on notice of violation from DES, 38 Lookout Point Road, TM 24-59, expanding a deck without a permit.

Cordeiro – Notice of complaint from DES concerning excavation violations (no permit or erosion control), no follow up notice.

Calabro – The driveway is in.

Mill Pond dredging – Jed will check in with Aaron Wechsler again.

Longval – no news.

Arin said she was contacted by Barbara Skuly about a shoreland permit application on Ashuelot Dr. Arin didn’t receive the email in time to look at the property for ARLAC and there is deep snow cover. Barbara said there will also be a wetland permit on that one soon. It is a single family home and the contractor is Barkie. There will also be another shoreland permit application coming soon.

3.0 Committee and Board reports:

3.1 Land Protection Committee – Jed said that the BoS has put an article in the town warrant (Article 35) to make TM 13-2 a Town Forest. Ed Thayer came forward to say that there is a large deposit of gravel on the property that the town could utilize. Jed spoke with NHMA about it and if the Forestry Committee agrees to the use there is no conflict with making it a Town Forest at this year’s Town Meeting. Jed also talked to Forestry Committee members about it and they are in favor. We will take a site walk on the property when the snow is gone.

3.2 Energy Committee – No news, haven’t met. Johanna said that Andrew mentioned a few energy bills being considered by the Legislature, HB 315 and an omnibus energy bill that also concerns net metering for small installations. We will check them out. Johanna said she attended an online climate change conference last week

3.3 Planning Board – Nan said the will have LUO items on a ballot at Town Meeting in March.

3.4 Forestry Committee – Jed will speak with Town forester Anita Blakman and Forestry Committee members about a possible cut. Arin would like to meet with her.

3.5 Legislative update - No news.

4.0 Public Presentations and workshops:

4.1 Cottrell/Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series – Nan said the lecture series is all online this year and you need to register by email – signup@forestsociety.org to receive the zoom link, March 16 (Trout Stream restoration), March 23 (Cottontail Rabbit restoration), March 30 (Edible Wild Plants), April 6 (Water Connections).

5.0 New Business:

5.1 Fish & Game sent information about a Webinar that is available to learn about their “Trails for People and Wildlife” tool at wildnh.com/trails

5.2 Arin said she received a copy of a comment letter on the proposed RV Park from Ann Poole. She will share it with us.

6.0 Other Business:

6.1 Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – Arin and Nan are still working on the booklet. Arin is working on maps and Nan is working on writing and formatting. Arin has posted the latest version to her Google account. Nan will work with that version and add the new writing to it. She worked on the Snowmobile chapter and ran it by Tom Marshall and Don Revane and they suggested a few things, which she included. We decided to add the ATV/UTV map and information to the booklet. We will continue working on it with a goal to publish this summer.

6.2 Facebook Page – Arin said she is continuing to post items when she can. To check out the CC’s Facebook page go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2173271309586226/

6.3 Master Plan goals for 2020 – This is a placeholder.

6.4 Tracking Invasive Plants project – The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html

6.5 We went over the ATV/UTV usage road map (version 5). Jed will put the town logo on it and run it by everyone once more. The BoS has budgeted for printing the map. We will look at a sticker for the cover instead of printing it 2 sided.

7.0 What’s Happening in Nature?

Johanna’s turkeys are visiting her bird feeder often and they hunker down in the woods and sleep in the pine trees. Arin saw a large flock below Johanna’s house. Johanna said that according to Fish and Game some wild turkeys are getting a bad skin condition. She saw her bobcat again and thinks it is living up behind her house. Johanna commented that 15 years ago she had lots of snowshoe hare living nearby but now they all seem to be gone. Jed has seem lots of snowshoe hare tracks near the brook where there is the scrubby growth that they like.

Nan has seen some red polls at the birdfeeder and lots of mourning doves.

Arin saw the flock of Evening Grosbeaks again. The moose on Faxon Hill is still being spotted often, by a lot of people, where there is a wildlife corridor between Oak Hill and Farnsworth Hill.

Arin commented that the sun is a lot warmer these days and it feels like spring. The birds are singing more. Nan said the trees are tapped and some sap is flowing (still early though). Arin said the snow is still very deep.

Arin said she harvested some Chaga when she was on a hike and is making tea with it. To learn about Chaga, click here: NewinNature.html

8.0 Correspondence:

DES- notice of Forestry PBN, Ball

Copy of Sullivan County Conservation District 2020 Annual Report

Letter from Fish & Game re.webinar about their Trails for People and Wildlife tool

9.0 Adjourned at 8:20PM, the next meeting is Wednesday, March 17^th at 7PM, location to be announced.

Respectfully submitted,

Nan Schwartz, Secretary