Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes – August 16, 2017
Assembly time: 7:00 PM
Members present: Arin Mills, Jed Schwartz, Johanna Young, Doug Cook, Dennis Kelly and Nan Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Approval of Minutes: July minutes, Johanna made a motion to approve as written, Doug seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
2.0 Permits Committee - Arin said the DES approval for the Wetlands Permit for the Fire Station building project site on Lempster Mountain Road came through July 19th. It was then under review by the Army Corp of Engineers. We heard that approval came through last week but have not seen the all paperwork. They have done a lot of site work since the approval came through. Dennis asked about the wetlands area on the site. Jed said he looked on Monday and the water was flowing in that area toward Old Marlow Rd where it will enter the ditch. Arin wants a copy of the latest site plan. Nan says she has the copy that went with the permit application. Arin wants to go to the site and check when the culverts are in place. Jed said the silt fences are up. He said they are concentrating on the building section right now to get ready for the new foundation. Arin will ask Deb about the other parts of the permit approval.
3.0 Committee and Board reports:
3.1 Land Protection Committee – Jed reported that Whit Beals (NEFF) sent an assessment proposal from Scott Heath to do the assessment of BarkerÕs property for a CE. The estimate was $3,000. Jed said that NEFF will pay half, if we will pay for the other half. Doug asked if Barker could pay ¼ of the cost. Jed said that he doesnÕt think Phil can afford the cost but we can look for a bargain sale price for the easement. Nan said she didnÕt think that NEFF will be looking for a lot more money from us to hold the CE. Arin said that Phil has an emotional tie to his land. Jed made a motion to spend up to $1,500 for the assessment, Dennis seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Nan said that we have around $25.8K in our account right now.
3.2 Energy Committee – Johanna reported that the EC met last month and they have decided to set up a table at the transfer station this fall to solicit people who would want to have them use the thermal camera to find energy/heat leaks in their homes. Andrew wants to do some print materials using pictures he took of ArinÕs house with the camera. Nan suggested they do a handout sheet that people could take home with them. Johanna said that they would like to use some of the left over money from the grant that we are holding in our account. We all agreed this was a great idea. Nan will ask Lynda the amount they have in our account, she thinks it is a little more than $300. Johanna said they would like to spend what they donÕt use on print materials to buy window kits. Jed said that if Andrew needs help getting the print materials put together he could help him. The EC are now meeting quarterly and as needed.
3.3 Planning Board – Nan said the PB is working on updates to the Land Use Ordinance.
3.4 Forestry Committee –Tom was not here to report.
3.5 Legislative update - No news.
4.0 Public Presentations and workshops:
4.1 Emerald Ash Borer/ invasive bugs presentation – The presentation is set for August 18th, Friday evening at 7pm in the Washington Elementary School multi-purpose room. Arin said that Abby will make cookies, Nan will also. Nan said she sent invitations to Hillsboro, Bradford and Lempster CCÕs and put up a lot of posters. Nan suggested that Arin invite Shane Mulliner, he may get lots of business out of it and it is always good to have a local loggerÕs input. Nan said she made directional signs to get people to the school and will put them up on Friday.
4.2 Fall Hike - We discussed the fall hike (Columbus Day) and Jed suggested Lovewell Mountain, leaving from JourneyÕs End. He did it recently and it was a great hike (about 3 miles). We all agreed that sounded good. We picked October 7th (Saturday) and will start 9:30 or so returning by 12:30 or 1pm. Arin will make a poster.
5.0 New Business:
5.1 Adopt–a-highway trash pickup. We decided to schedule our next pick up for September 30th, 9am, Saturday, rain date Sunday. Jed will need to check the date and we may need to change it to Sunday.
5.2 Dennis spoke about the
6.0 Other Business:
6.1 Johanna is scheduled for her annual swim on Millen Pond on August 26th, Saturday at 10am. We will join her in our canoes and kayaks. Jed needs to contact John Brighton to ask if we can land on their beach.
6.2 Natural Resource Inventory Map updates – Nan reported she hasnÕt heard from Chris and hopes he is working on making the changes we requested. Arin said she would be happy to get in touch with Chris and see where we are. Nan wills send her ChrisÕs email and contact information. Arin and Nan will plan to meet with him to discuss the co-occurrence map. Nan will continue work on making the changes to the NRI document and Conservation Plan. Arin wants to have a goal of March 2018 to print the new NRI copies (with maps), all agreed.
6.3 Master Plan goals for 2017 – We are working on the NRI update and map update as our goal.
6.4 Barker easement – see 3.1
6.5 Jed brought up the hunting preserve that someone has applied to the town of Bradford Zoning board for a special exception. Dennis and Jed attended a site walk on June 28th. They didnÕt see any problem with what the landowner was trying to do. He said it was a private hunting preserve and would be stocked with pheasant for 4 person hunting parties with dogs. At the time they said there wouldnÕt be a shooting range or anything of that nature. Bradford held a public hearing recently and there was some objection to the special exception from abutters and the Bradford CC. Some of the land involved is in a conservation zone and not eligible for commercial use. Jed was concerned because by state law the exception runs with the land and wouldnÕt restrict the use to small pheasant hunting parties but could be expanded in the future for a shooting range or other shooting activities. Jed will keep an eye on what happens with this and let us know.
6.6 Tracking Invasive Plants project – We received a tracking sheet from a person who lives on Main Street, last month. Arin will add the sheet to our database. Nan asked Arin how we should answer the question of what they should do to get rid of it. Arin will write them a letter.
The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html
6.7 Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – Arin said she has done a template for the guide and will send out to us. She had a sample page with description. She wants to focus on activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, swimming, boating, kayaking, ATV/UTV use, boat launches and fishing. She asked us to think of other recreational spots, Nan mentioned the overnight huts on the Greenway. Arin will send out what she did so we can divide it up and work on the parts.
7.0 WhatÕs Happening in Nature?
Jed said that he saw an immature Eagle flying overhead at his house, he thinks it is the same one Doug saw near the Eccardt Farm. He also saw one on the Center Road going towards Hillsboro. Arin said there is one on Ashuelot Pond too.
Nan said their Barn Swallows have hatched their 4th or 5th set of eggs and the latest bunch is about to fledge. She canÕt remember more that 2 sets of hatchlings in past years.
Doug saw the Belted King Fisher at the pond dam in East Washington, Jed said there is a pair.
Doug saw Monarch butterflies in his back pasture. Arin said that she found Monarch caterpillars (of differing sizes) feeding on Milkweed in the rear of the Cemetery on Faxon Hill Road. She said the whole corner is filled with Milkweed plants. This was what we were hoping for when we asked them not to mow. Arin had some pictures that she shared with us. Jed said he saw a Monarch butterfly on his squash and Phlox plants.
Johanna saw Great Blue Heron in her pond, eating frogs.
Arin said she has seen bats. Doug said his boathouse has bats living in it. Dennis said that he knows someone on Island Pond with a boathouse and they all have bats. Jed said that they have bats in the attic of the house (lots of bat guano in evidence0.
Johanna said her pond has a lot of weedy plants this year, itÕs not new but more plentiful. Jed said that Mill Pond has some big globs of algae this year (which is new). Dennis said Island Pond is much clearer this year.
Dennis said that the wild blueberries are still ripening this year, which is late.
Jed said he has had a good onion year and also garlic and leeks. He said he is getting some late bight on the tomatoes but itÕs not that bad.
Doug said all his raspberries have been eaten by some wild turkeys. Nan saw to mother turkeys walking through the pasture with a bunch of poults, recently.
To see ArinÕs pictures of the monarch caterpillars in the Washington cemetery, click here: NewinNature.html
8.0 Correspondence:
Copy of Wetlands permit for TM 22-58, Fire/Rescue Station
Copy of Forest Notes
9.0 Adjourned at 8:37PM, our next scheduled meeting is on September 20th, at 7PM at 54 Bear Hill Road.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz, Secretary