Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – July 17, 2013

Assembly time: 7:00 PM.

 

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

 

Visitors: None

 

1.0    Approval of Minutes: Minutes from June 2013, meeting Johanna made a motion to approve, Arin seconded, all voted in favor.

 

2.0    Permits Committee – Permit By Notification – Wetlands Bureau, James Smith, 158 Harrison Road, Ashuelot Pond, beach sand replenishment, 10 yards. We received notice that the application was returned as incomplete, it needed Sandy PooleÕs signature. Sandy requested that we sign it, so Nan also signed it.

Jed had a call today from someone on Highland Lake complaining about an un-permitted dock installed next to his. Jed suggested he get in touch with DES, which he had already done. They believe the dock to be un-permitted and are looking into it.

           

3.0   Committee and Board reports:

3.1   Land Protection Committee  - Has not met but may meet soon because LCHIP announced there is a grant round, as a result of their being fully funded. Projects need to be registered by July 30th to be included in this round.

3.2    Energy Committee – Johanna reported that they have not met and that they are not going ahead with their Energy Expo this summer. Andrew is too busy with business to be involved this summer and he was doing the major work on it. They will try to do it at a future date. They are going to work on an Energy Chapter for the Master Plan update and include something about the effects of climate change and weather impacts.

3.3   Planning Board – Nan reported that the Planning Board is working updating the Master Plan and they have found some community members to join and help do the work. They are starting work on the community survey portion and have sent out a request to all departments/committees for input on the survey questions. We received the request and Nan will send everyone the request by email so they can have input. It is due on August 1st.

3.4   Forestry Committee – No news.

3.5    Legislative update – Not in session.

 

4.0   Public Presentations and workshops:

4.1   Tracking Invasive Plants project – We each filled out 2 of ArinÕs reporting forms and turned them into Arin, she will work on incorporating them into a map. Nan had made up 10 packets with the invasive plant guide, ArinÕs reporting document and an introductory letter explaining the project. Arin took a couple of packets to try out on people. When we are ready we will do a ÒDid you Know?Ó announcement in the SelectmenÕs minutes. Nan will make both the reporting sheets and guides available on our web site.

4.2   We did a hike up Bean Mountain to a Wind Tower on June 23rd and had a group of about 20 people. We were joined by Jim Beard and Sue Litchy from the Lempster Conservation Commission. The landowner came out to speak with us when we arrived at the wind tower and told us some history and facts about the wind towers and invited us to his barn to look at pictures taken during the construction phase. Thanks to Kevin Onnela for his hospitality.

4.3   Jed spoke about a Watershed/erosion/stormwater presentation that we have been trying to pull together with Ed Thayer for this summer. It has been difficult to get anyone to commit for a date this summer so we will put it off until next year and make sure it happens then.

4.4   The Hike and Cookout for Farnsworth Hill Forest Celebration, on July 13th was a big success. The hike started at BrightonÕs and was attended by about 40 people. We hiked up Farnsworth Hill to the Old Marlow Road, then returned via the snowmobile trail to BrightonÕs field. The hike was led by Dave Anderson of the Forest Society and John Brighton (one of  the Land Stewards of the property) assisted with history and stories of the farms and inhabitants of the property. We took in the expansive and beautiful views and learned a lot along the way. The donorÕs picnic was excellent and we were awarded a plaque from the Forest Society, for our participation in the project (as well as others who were important to getting the project done). We will ask the Selectmen if we can put the plaque up in the Town Hall.

 

5.0   New business – Arin wants to plan a hike up Lovewell Mountain in the fall, maybe in early October. We will keep talking about it and definitely plan this hike.

 

6.0   Other Business:

6.1   We decided to reschedule our next Adopt-a-Highway pick up date, which would have been this Saturday, July 20th to August 3rd, at 9AM.We decided because of the heat it would be better to push the date out a couple of weeks.

6.2   Johanna mentioned her annual swim will now take place in August, most likely the 3rd Saturday. Heather will be gone so they wonÕt be able to do the swim together this year.

6.3   NRI update – We are putting this discussion off until fall because no one has time to focus on this during the summer months.

6.4   East Washington Rd. stabilization plan for Mill Pond bank – Jed shared the comment letter we sent to Ed about this project. Everyone read the letter and approved. Ed said we will also have another chance to comment during the permitting phase.

 

7.0   WhatÕs Happening in Nature?

Arin saw the baby loon on Millen Pond and tried to get a picture of it but it dove out of sight. It was swimming near the mother loon. She also saw an adult loon swimming alone on Ashuelot Pond near the swimming area.

Johanna said she has a Great Blue Heron in her pond fishing everyday. Jed said that there is a Great Blue Heron that fishes below the Mill Pond dam in East Washington. Sometimes you surprise it and it will take off flying. It is a really big bird and it is very graceful when it flies.

Johanna has painted turtles digging multiple holes in her driveway looking for a spot to lay eggs. One abandoned her hole because Johanna and Lindley looked at it. She said she had read an article about painted turtles and the fact that hotter weather due to climate change will make the turtle babies be born as female.

Ken sent word he chased a moose down Millen Pond Road with something big in its mouth that looked like tomato plants.

Jed has observed some bat guano in his barn and he is pleased that the bats are back in residence.

Johanna has several cedar waxwings hanging around.

Jed asked if anyone knew if Bluebirds have more than one set of young each year, it appears that they are nesting again in their box.

Johanna asked about a brown, tan and white-breasted bird (robin sized), who is nesting in a bush in the middle of her beaver pond. No one was sure what it was.

Jed commented on the flash flood that occurred a couple of weeks ago. We had 4 inches of rain in a couple of hours and there was a lot of road damage around town. Arin was cut off from getting out when the bridge project on Faxon Hill washed out. Luckily, the road crew got the roads passable pretty quickly. Arin asked about what happens with all the gravel and material that washed down the stream during the event. It washed down onto private property. She wondered if there was an mitigation or way to get it cleaned up. We think the landowner is stuck with the mess and has to clean it up if possible. Johanna said the frogs were jumping out of her pond and onto a rock for safety during the strom, she had a lot of gravel wash into her pond from her driveway and they were scared. The beavers had no problem with the high water because there dam is well engineered.

Now we are having a heat wave (mid to high 90 degrees) that has been going on most of the week. It is expected to break on Saturday with thunderstorms. We will hope there are no more flash floods.

To learn more about the magnificent Great Blue Heron, click here: NewinNature.html

 

8.0   Correspondence:

      DES notice of incomplete application form for James Smith, beach sand replenishment, Ashuelot Pond, needs Town Clerk signature, done

Master Plan survey question request from PB

Save the date card from Caroline A. Fox Forest, Henry I Baldwin Environmental Center, State Archeologist, Richard Boisvert, will give a talk on ÒClimate Change 10-12,000 Years AgoÓ, Thursday, July 25th at 7PM.

Thank you note from Barbara Skuly, ARLAC, for our $100 donation.

 

       

9.0   Adjourned at 7:40 PM, our next scheduled meeting is August 21st at 7PM at the Town Hall.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Nan Schwartz, Secretary