Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes – March 15, 2017
Assembly time: 7:00 PM
Members present: Jed Schwartz, Arin Mills, Dennis Kelly, Johanna Young, Doug Cook and Nan Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Approval of Minutes: February minutes, we didnÕt have a copy of the minutes to look over so we will take them up next month.
2.0 Permits Committee - No new permits. Jed reported that he received an abutter notice for a dredge and fill permit application by the Dam Bureau, for cleanup work they are going to do below the East Washington Dam.
3.0 Committee and Board reports:
3.1 Land Protection Committee - Nothing new, Jed said if anyone knows of an interesting project they can let him know.
3.2 Energy Committee – Johanna said the EC hasnÕt met recently but they lent Arin the thermal camera to check out her house. Arin said they checked the house from both the inside and outside. She said the biggest heat loss on the outside was from the foundation area. Their basement is heated space and they did insulate it with foam board, so the were surprised. On the inside they saw heat leaking from around doors and windows (they need caulking) and corners up near the ceiling and their bulkhead is losing heat. Andrew is going to help them download the pictures. Before winter is over you can check out your house by contacting Andrew Hatch to use the thermal camera.
3.3 Planning Board – Nan said both building projects are on the Warrant at Town Meeting and suggested everyone vote yes on them. She said there is also a PB ballot at Town Meeting and explained the items on that ballot.
3.4 Forestry Committee –Tom was not here to report. Arin mentioned that she was contacted by the county forester who wanted a meeting with us to update the Town Forest lands for a project they are doing. The meeting is on March 23rd, Thursday at 4pm. She and Jed are going to meet with him and Jed will see if Tom Taylor is around to join them.
3.5 Legislative update - Nan said that NHACC wants letters sent in opposition of SB 136 -
SB136 will prohibit the federal government from acquiring through donation or purchase more than 2 percent of the state's land INCLUDING the White Mt. National Forest area, and INCLUDING conservation easements where the Federal government is the primary easement holder. (Natural Resources Conservation Service, Forest Legacy, USDA grants for farmers for example).
Forest Society has bills of concern here:
https://forestsociety.org/blog-post/lawmakers-debating-important-2017-conservation-bills
Forest Society has bills of concern here:
https://forestsociety.org/blog-post/lawmakers-debating-important-2017-conservation-bills
4.0 Public Presentations and workshops:
4.1 Saving Special Places conference, Saturday, April 8th, 8am-4pm, Prospect Mountain High School, Alton, NH, more info: http://savingspecialplaces.org
4.2 Winter Hike - We cancelled the snowshoe hike because of a lack of snow and Jed said we will plan a Spring Hike for the public in the Bradford Bog. Jed will check with Carol to see when the rhodora usually blooms and then we will set a date, most likely in late April or sometime in May. We will coordinate with the Bradford CC.
4.3 Cottrell-Baldwin Environmental Lecture Series - Authors Series: Big Trees, Rattlesnakes, Historic Hurricane and Wildflowers, all programs take place on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m., March 7, 21, 28 and April 4 at Fox State Forest, Center Road, Hillsboro
March 21, ÒAmericaÕs Snake: The Rise and Fall of the Timber Rattlesnake,Ó with author Ted Levin
March 28, ÒThirty Eight: The Hurricane That Transformed New England,Ó with author Stephen Long
April 4, ÒWildflowers of New England,Ó with author Ted Elliman
Jed said that he attended the Big Tree lecture and said it was good, the next one is about rattlesnakes.
4.4 Future presentations and hikes –
Arin checked with the school about doing a program this spring about pollinators and butterflies in June. They were very receptive and we will plan it for near the end of school in June. We have lots of materials to work with for a presentation. Arin bought some nets that she is working on modifying to catch butterflies. We will do a morning presentation to the groups of kids and try to get outside to catch some pollinators. In case it is raining we will come up with an inside activity we can do, also.
5.0 New Business:
5.1 Historical Society talk about local trails in May – Jed said he was contacted by the Washington Historical Society and they were interested in us doing a presentation on local trails. He spoke with Arin and John Brighton on teaming up to do it. Arin will make some maps and enlargements, she suggested bringing the NRI historical and cultural map. Jed and John will come up with the talking points and an overall plan in the coming week. The presentation is May 8th at 7PM at Camp Morgan Lodge.
5.2 Inventory of conservation land in town – Arin said that Granit is updating the Conservation/Public Lands layer for their maps and the County Foresters and UNH Cooperative Extension are doing an inventory of land in each town. See 3.4 for info on a meeting set with the county forester.
6.0 Other Business:
6.1 Natural Resource Inventory Map updates – Nan and Arin made a date of March 30th to look over the draft maps and make a list of comments for Chris. Nan gave Arin a copy of all the maps we have received from Chris.
6.2 Master Plan goals for 2017 – We are working on the NRI update and map update our first goal.
6.3 Barker trail easement – Jed reached out to Whit Beals at NEFF and left a message about the Barker easement and is awaiting his reply.
6.4 Tracking Invasive Plants project – We are keeping this on the agenda as a placeholder until the growing season starts. The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html
7.0 WhatÕs Happening in Nature?
Johanna had a pair of Mergansers on her pond but they have moved on.
Jed said their was ice out on Mill Pond before the end of February, then the ice was in again and out again in March. There were ducks on the pond but now they have moved on and the ice is back.
Arin said it sounded like spring at her house, all the birds were singing and talking to one another.
Johanna and Dennis both have mourning doves.
Johanna and Arin both lost their suet this winter to an animal, maybe a fox.
Jed has had a red fox around and has seen it in the middle of the day.
Dennis had a fox and kits living below his house, in the past, and they love black sunflower seeds.
Jed had a flock of forty or so wild turkeys come and clean up under the birdfeeder. He had another group of four toms come separately.
Arin mentioned our late blizzard snowstorm of about 18 inches. We had no snow cover and now we are buried again. Jed mentioned temperatures in the 70s then brutal cold again. The sap was running but it is on hold again with the cold.
Doug said the beaver in his pond has been grabbing grape vines and is cutting down the autumn olive. Jed saw some recent beaver activity along the brook on his trail. Dennis has some recipes that call for beaver.
Arin said that with the warm spell Fish and Game was asking about any sightings of salamanders crossing to vernal pools. We hadnÕt seen any, Arin will check to see if there were any reports made.
Jed got an email from John Brighton who had a sighting of a Barred Owl. To see his wonderful picture of the owl and learn more about them, click here: NewinNature.html
8.0 Correspondence:
Fox State Forest Newsletter and brochure on Cottrell-Baldwin Lecture Series
Saving Special Places save the date card, information on registration
Forest Notes, Forest Society magazine
Mailer from Vegetation Control Services, Inc. (invasive plant removal)
9.0 Adjourned at 8:00 PM, our next scheduled meeting is on April 19th, at 7PM at the Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz, Secretary