Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes – August 18, 2021
Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Meeting at Town Hall.
Members present: Arin Mills, Jed Schwartz and Nan Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Approval of Minutes: the June minutes were approved as written.
2.0 Permits Committee -
New: None
Previous:
Fillio, TM 25-90, 1949 Valley Road, Shoreland Permit approved.
Barkie -– Standard Dredge and Fill, TM 14-39, Ashuelot Drive, approved
*Johnson/Kimball – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 25-93, letter of deficiency and steps to mitigate, dredging will be addressed separately by DES.
*Bologna – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 24-91
* Colette - Complaint of violations, TM 12-69, over clearing of waterfront zone
*Cordeiro – Notice of complaint from DES concerning excavation violations (no permit or erosion control), no follow up notice.
Mill Pond dredging – no new news.
Longval – no news.
Arin has contacted Jeff B at DES to ask him the status of the above * complaints. She hasnÕt heard back from him yet.
3.0 Committee and Board reports:
3.1 Land Protection Committee – Nothing new.
3.2 Energy Committee – No news.
3.3 Planning Board – No big news, they are looking at several LUO updates.
3.4 Forestry Committee – No news.
3.5 Legislative update - No news.
We discussed the issue on JeftÕs Road with the flooding and beaver activity. We looked at the plan for the logging and saw that the culvert was supposed to be removed after they were done. We think maybe the town asked them to leave it in to help keep the road passable. We went out to look at the situation. We were also contacted by someone at Andorra Forest concerning ATV/UTV use on their property, accessed by this road. Arin spoke with the Andorra Forest person and made some suggestions about blocking this traffic on their property. Jed spoke with the Select Board about the culvert and a beaver deceiver and requested that they speak with Chief Murdough about putting signage up to keep ATV/UTVs out of the water. He said that if the Fire Department was needed out there they would be able to pass.
Arin brought up ARM Funds and looking for grants to protect trails and we will look into this.
4.0 Public Presentations and workshops:
4.1 Nan mentioned several events from NHACC. Their 50th Anniversary Celebration is on Saturday, September 11th from 9:30 to 1:30, Bear Brook State Park Pavilion, sign up online at $15 per person. They are also doing a Lunch and Learn Series that is free to members and the Annual Meeting, on November 6th is a virtual event. You can sign up online for all of this.
4.2 We discussed doing something with the school this fall. Arin will speak with Kelley about possibilities.
5.0 New Business:
5.1 We discussed doing a tribute to Johanna, who died a few weeks ago. She was a longtime member of the Conservation Commission and was the founder the Energy Committee, many years ago. She was passionate about the environment, water and energy issues. She always shared wonderful observations of nature from around her pond and bog. Her swim from one end to the far end of Millen Pond every August was a highlight of our summers for 8 years. She was a very special person and we will miss her very much.
5.2 Trash Pickup – We will schedule our next Adopt-a-highway trash pickup for September at the next meeting.
5.3 Nan asked if we want to do a hike this October. We will consider doing a Lovewell Mountain hike and will discuss it next month.
5.4 Jed had a call with a resident who would like to see the Camp Morgan Town Forest property protected by a conservation easement. We are supportive and will speak with Carol and some land trust people about getting this done.
6.0 Other Business:
6.1 Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – We will continue working on it with a goal to publish the booklet this fall.
6.2 Facebook Page – Arin said she is continuing to post items when she can. To check out the CCÕs 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 The ATV/UTV road usage map and Jed will talk to printers this week. He will ask the BoS if they want us to put it up on the Town Website or Facebook page.
7.0 WhatÕs Happening in Nature?
Arin reports that the maples in the swamps are getting their fall colors already.
Jed said that we had a very wet July, with about 20Ó of rain. July 30th was our last big storm with flooding and washouts on the roads. Jed said the dam boards blew out twice in July because of heavy rains, leaving the Mill Pond low. Luckily the Dam Bureau guys came out promptly and took care of it both times. It is unusual to see this happen, especially twice in a month.
Jed saw a group of large hawks near the berry farm on Coolidge Road. Nan also saw two large hawks or maybe eagles in a dead pine near LynnÕs pond. The Eccardt Farm had a beautiful bald eagle hanging out behind Ryan and AmyÕs house for several hours. Arin thinks the hawks are starting to move and gather before they migrate.
Nan mentioned they had another nest of Barn Swallows in the barn and 5 more babies hatched. The fledglings left the nest but for a week or more they have been coming back to the nest and Mom is still feeding them there. They have had lots of humming birds this summer.
Arin has seen lots of bats and there are more sightings of red foxes in LAE.
We have all had lots of Monarch Butterfly caterpillars munching on our milkweed and are starting to pupate. Jed got a great picture of one getting ready to pupate and 3 hours later it was done and in its cocoon. We will watch it as it develops and hopefully get to see it hatch out as a butterfly. Arin has a cocoon at her house that she can watch, too.
To learn more about our rainy July, click here: NewinNature.html
8.0 Correspondence:
9.0 Adjourned at 8:37PM, the next meeting is Tuesday, July 20th at 7PM, at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz, Secretary