WASHINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION

 

Minutes- September 30, 2003

 

 

1.0 Assembly: Time 7:00 p.m.

Present: Mike Andrews, Carol Andrews, Tom Taylor, Marv Jager, Ann Delucia, Jed Schwartz, Nan Schwartz.

 

2.0 Approval of Minutes: approved as printed.

 

3.0 Old Business:

3.1 Dredge and Fill Committee- 2 permits signed. Sandy, Carol and Rich inspected the Vaillancourt site on Route 31. Mike and Carol inspected the Millen Pond dam site.

3.2 Planning Board update: The Planning Board is recommending changes to the Land Use Ordinance. Public hearing to take place on Oct. 4^th at 11:00. Survey of townspeople indicates a desire to keep the town’s rural character.

3.3 The hazard mitigation plan has been approved by the Selectmen, then it has to go to the state, then to FEMA. Tom and Ann are willing to work on a Shoreland Protection Act Committee. This committee will work with the Shoreland Protection Act Coordinator to develop wording for the Planning Board’s approval. Mike is willing to work on an Ashuelot River Conservation Easement Committee. This committee will be responsible for landowner outreach in the affected area of the river. The goal is to bring warrant articles or ballot questions to the 2005 town meeting.

3.4 Joining the NH Association of Conservation Commissions: the fee for joining the association is $175 per year. Though we think the association provides a valuable service, we don’t have the funds to pay the membership each year.

3.5 Jed mentioned that Jim McDonough of the Hillsborough Conservation Commission would like to have a joint meeting with us.

3.6 What’s happening in nature?

      Lots of reports of moose in Ashuelot.

      A bald eagle has been visiting the upper Ashuelot.

      There seem to be more coyote in the past couple years

This is an incredible year for mushrooms!

Carol brought in a hen of the woods mushroom weighing in at 9 lbs. These mushrooms grow at the base of really large old oak trees. They are an edible mushroom, and are used medicinally for conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. These mushrooms can grow up to 100 lbs. The Japanese call this the dancing mushroom. It used to be that they could trade this mushroom pound for pound with silver, so they certainly did a little dance when they found it. The mushrooms that we collect and eat are merely the fruiting bodies of an organism that lives underground or in wood. It doesn’t hurt the organism to pick the fruiting body. A good beginner’s guide to mushrooms is the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms of North America.

 

4.0 Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1 Mike suggested that we apply for a UNH Community Environmental Outreach Program grant to help with our NRI. This grant would provide students to help with tasks associated with the NRI, and would cost the town from $300-$800. Jed moved to support Mike’s effort to contact UNH and negotiate for the grant. Second by Ann. All in favor. Motion passed. Mike will contact UNH about this program.

 

5.0 New Business

5.1 Ann moved that we support the Carbon Coalition with this statement: “The Washington Conservation Commission, recognizing that the state of New Hampshire is a signatory to the Regional Climate Change Action Plan with the other New England states and eastern Canadian provinces, supports the Carbon Coalition. We agree that a sensible energy plan should be founded on conservation and renewable resources and must also reduce carbon pollution.” Second by Jed. All in favor. Motion passed.

The Carbon Coalition will make speakers available to the Town of Washington.

5.2 The Selectmen request that we help with a program to educate townspeople about the dangers of exotic aquatic weeds. Perhaps we should plan a meeting of the Lake Associations in the spring to address this problem.

5.3 There is a new easement in Washington on the west side of Highland Lake.

5.4 The Soul of Agriculture Conference will be held at UNH on November 14 & 15.

 

 

6.0 Correspondence: SPACE Newsletter

                        DES Environmental News

                        NH Lakes Association

 

7.0   Adjournment:                     

 

7.1 Next Meeting Date: October 28th at 7:00 at the Town Hall.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Carol K. Andrews

Secretary

 

cc: Board of Selectmen

Planning Board