Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes – May 17, 2017
Assembly time: 7:00 PM
Members present: Arin Mills, Jed Schwartz, Johanna Young, Doug Cook and Nan Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Approval of Minutes: April minutes, Arin asked Jed about which species of Ash Borer that Dode found in the CM Town Forest. Jed was not sure. She wanted to add this information to the minutes. Arin checked with Dode and he said we have the redheaded ash borer and native bark beetles. He said both insects are attracted to stressed trees. Nan will add this to the April minutes. Arin made a motion to approve as amended, Johanna seconded and all voted in favor.
2.0 Jed said we need to have the elections for 2017, he asked Arin if she wanted to be chair and she was willing to do it but she wants Jed to continue with his contacts for the Land Protection Committee and with others. Jed made a motion to make Arin Chair, Nan seconded and all voted in favor. Arin made a motion for Jed to be Vice Chair, Doug seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Jed made a motion for Nan to continue as secretary, Arin seconded and all voted in favor.
3.0 Permits Committee - We had a Wetlands Permit, which was a re-filing of a permit changing it from a PBN to a minor impact for Claus, 237 Ashuelot Dr., this permit was for rebuilding an existing permanent dock structure and adding a seasonal dock and boat lift. Jed and Nan went out to look at the site and didnÕt see any problem or possible alternative sites. Jed signed the permit.
4.0 Committee and Board reports:
4.1 Land Protection Committee - Jed reported that a meeting has been set up with Phil Barker and Whit Beals from NEFF for Friday, May 19th at 4PM. All wishing to join them are welcome.
4.2 Energy Committee – Johanna said that the EC hasnÕt met yet but probably will soon. She reported that she went to a Climate Change rally in Concord where there were some great speakers including our senators. She signed up to receive various notices and will pass them along if there is anything interesting. She spoke about the Connecticut River trip taking place this summer and she has decided to swim part of the way out of Walpole, NH. They are covering the entire river from up north (Littleton, NH) down to the Long Island Sound in Connecticut. The planners are a church from Canturbury, NH called Church of the Woods (www.kairosearth.org). The trip is being done in 40 days and is sponsored by the Episcopal Church. They start their journey on May 31st.
Nan had a suggestion for the EC – putting in a municipal solar farm located on the old landfill site. Arin said they are setting one up in Hillsboro and they could call them to get information about what they are doing. Arin mentioned she went to an event at Stony Field Farm and a solar company was there that works with the Electric Co-op. They will do a full evaluation and energy assessment for $150. Arin will send Nan the information.
4.3 Planning Board – Nan said both building projects are moving forward but the Select board are not accepting any help from stakeholders. She hoped that the PB could be a part of the Schoolhouse structural assessment and planning but so far they havenÕt been asked.
Arin asked about the tax-hold process that was set up a few years ago. She wondered why the BoS hasnÕt been following the process in the last few years. Nan said that she will ask about it. She said that some of the properties they have taken for taxes in recent years have houses on them and they have sold them. Arin thinks there needs to be more transparency in the process and would like to continue with the group assessing the lots before they are sold.
4.4 Forestry Committee –Tom was not here to report.
4.5 Legislative update - Nan reported that NHACC had some info on the bills under consideration:
HB 246 Relative to timber trespass: Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee recommends ÒOught to PassÓ with a vote of 5-0; to be on the Consent Calendar in the Senate on May 18.
HB 337 Relative to municipal regulations of small wind energy systems: Senate Energy & Natural Resources recommends bill be Òre-referredÓ to Committee by vote of 5-0; to be on Consent Calendar in the Senate on May 18.
SB 30 as amended by Senate Defining woodland buffers and relative to such woodland buffers for the purposes of the shoreland protection act: House Resources Recreation & Development recommends Ought to Pass with Amendment: SB 30 Proposed House Amendment (Committee Vote 18-0; Consent Calendar) No Session date or calendar yet.
5.0 Public Presentations and workshops:
5.1 Historical Society talk on Washington Trails – Arin said that she, John Brighton and Jed presented to a large group at the Historical Society meeting. Jed apologized for not sending out a reminder to everyone but Nan did get it on the town website. Nan said we sold $42 worth of the Trail maps.
Arin had an outdoor recreation guide that Antrim and Bennington put out a few years ago. She would like us to do something similar. We all agreed that it would be a great idea and something we will work on after finishing the NRI and map update. Johanna mentioned that you can now self publish with some online companies.
5.2 Spring Hike – Jed said he and Nan have a conflict with the June 3rd date so we rescheduled for June 10th at 10am. Arin will edit the poster and send to Nan for printing. We will do the Bradford Bog and for a longer hike we can walk up to the Bradford Springs Hotel site and walk over and look at Mike AndrewÕs Beaver Deceiver. Nan will get the hike in the ÒDid You Know?Ó. We will do a scouting hike to nail down the hike.
5.3 School Pollinator workshop –
Arin said we are scheduled with the school for June 2nd, in the morning (doing 3 sessions). We have lots of materials to work with for the presentation. Arin will go over the PowerPoint and customize it. Arin bought some nets that she is working on modifying to catch butterflies, Nan offered to help with nets if Arin needs it. In case it is raining we will come up with an inside activity we can do if we canÕt get outside. Nan had a few handouts she will make copies of. We will look for some more plexiglas magnifying boxes, Arin said she has a few. Doug will look for dried reeds to bundle for making bee shelters. Arin will scout outside the school so she has an idea of where is best to go to find pollinators.
5.4 Emerald Ash Borer/ invasive bugs presentation – Arin will reach out to Dode Gladders about doing a presentation in early to mid August. We will try for August 11th or 18th Friday evenings. Nan will talk to Deb about open dates for Camp Morgan Lodge and coordinate with Arin.
6.0 New Business:
6.1 Adopt–a-highway trash pickup. Nan and Jed picked up on May 13th, we will schedule for an early July pick up at our June meeting.
6.3 Request from ARLAC for a $125 donation for river water testing for 2017. Doug made a motion to make the donation, Arin seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Nan will ask Lynda to send a check.
6.4 Johanna asked if we want to hold her swim again this year. Of course we do and tentatively picked a date of August 26th.
6.5 Reminder – Johanna needs to visit the Town Clerk and sign her paperwork for her continuing membership.
7.0 Other Business:
7.1 Natural Resource Inventory Map updates – Chris has the list of changes and is working on making the changes. Arin and Nan need to meet with him soon to discuss the co-occurrence map. Nan will continue work on making the changes to the NRI document and Conservation Plan.
7.3 Master Plan goals for 2017 – We are working on the NRI update and map update as our first goal.
7.4 Barker easement – see 4.1
7.5 Tracking Invasive Plants project – We are keeping this on the agenda as a placeholder as the growing season starts, start to look now for emerging plants. The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html
8.0 WhatÕs Happening in Nature?
Nan said it snowed on MotherÕs Day, last Sunday. Arin said she had 6Ó of snow at her house and they lost their power for hours. She said many trees came down in LAE due to the heavy wet snow. Nan said they had 2Ó in East Washington. Most of it melted by Monday. Nan said it was 90 degrees today.
Johanna said she has a new beaver in her pond and she is calling it Disney. They have Wood Ducks, Mergansers and Mallards in her pond. She said the Canada Geese drop in but donÕt stay.
Arin said Abby saw a moose near Eccardt Farm. Doug said he saw moose poop in ClarkÕs field across from his house.
Arin said she saw a smallish hawk sitting near the school soccer field. Doug said he saw a couple of small hawks doing aerials near his house. Jed thinks he saw them too. Doug said that Sandy told him that Peter saw an albatross flying in East Washington. She also saw an American Bittern in the wetland area above PooleÕs. She saw it flying and by the side of the road.
Doug has seen 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, some Cardinals, Tit Mice and Chipping Sparrows. He also has some juvenile ravens in a nest and starting to fledge.
Jed said he has several sets of Blue Birds nesting in his boxes and Barn Swallows nesting in the barn.
Johanna has seen Red Wing Blackbirds and saw 2 Chickadees in the act of mating.
Abby saw a Great Blue Heron and Shane said that the Black Flies are really bad and so are the ticks.
Johanna saw a Red Backed Salamander near her woodpile.
Arin said the peepers are still peeping since they started a month ago.
Jed said the asparagus is not up yet in East Washington, he thinks the soil is too cold still. Arin said the HoffordsÕ asparagus is up in the community garden behind the Town Hall.
Jed has a fox in East Washington and one day he saw go up the road it carrying a turkey, the next day he saw it go by with a large rodent in its mouth, the next day he saw it going by with a dead red hen. He thinks it is living up the road and may have young it is feeding. Doug said he has lost 4 hens recently but the one that went by with the fox wasnÕt his. To read about the Red Fox and their habits, click here: NewinNature.html
9.0 Correspondence:
Letter from ARLAC requesting funds for Ashuelot River water testing (see 6.3)
Letter from DES, re. invalid permit by notification application, Claus
10.0 Adjourned at 8:45 PM, our next scheduled meeting is on June 21st, at 7PM at the Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz, Secretary