WASHINGTON  CONSERVATION COMMISSION

 

 

Minutes- October 3, 2002

 

 

1.0  Assembly:  Time  7:15 p.m.

1.1  Present:  Mike Andrews, Carol Andrews, Rich Cook, Marv Jager, Peter France, Tom Taylor, Lionel Chute.

Guest:  Jim Mitchell from NH DOT District 4

 

2.0  Approval of Minutes:  approved as printed.

 

3.0  Old Business: 

3.1  Adopt a Highway:  Jim Mitchell of NH DOT brought us the equipment necessary to clean the section of route 31 from the Lempster Mt. Road to Mad Road.  We should leave the bags about 5Õ off of the edge of the road.  He went over the safety briefing procedures with the group and talked a little bit about the program.  We will need to clean the highway 4 times per year.  The main cleanup times are spring and fall.  We should let him know when we need more supplies.  We will do our first cleanup on Tuesday the 15th of Oct.  Meet at 9 a.m. behind the Town Hall.

3.2  Dredge and Fill Committee:  no activity

3.3   Planning Board update:  the Planning Board is stepping up its efforts to revise the Master Plan.  The Planning Board would like the help of the Conservation Commission on the Natural Resources section of the Master Plan.

3.4   October 24th the DES Wetlands briefing with Sandy Crystall at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall:  we have invited other area Conservation Commissions to attend.  Please mark your calendars.

3.5    Hazard Mitigation:  the Con Com was asked to send a representative to a meeting of the Hazard Mitigation Committee.   Mike attended this meeting.  In order for Washington to qualify for federal funds in a disaster situation, we must have a hazard mitigation plan in place to minimize the damage.  This plan will address floods, dam breaches, fire, ice storms, underground storage tanks.  Funds for emergency management are coming to municipalities under the terrorism bills.  There may be funds to protect land in the Ashuelot River corridor.

3.6   Rich Cook attended the forestry laws workshop.

3.7   WhatÕs happening in nature?  Tom tells us there is an Eagle nest (near the town forest land) on Ashuelot Pond.  It was not occupied this year, but it has been occupied in recent years.

Lionel tells us that he visited a site in Washington that has 5Ó lichens called Cladonia maxima.  They are in the same family as the British Soldier lichen and look similar.  This lichen is indicative of boreal forests (spruce-fir).  ThatÕs the good news.  He also tells us that the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid has now been found in Peterboro, Bedford and Portsmouth; especially in the drier areas.  This little pest can totally kill off Hemlocks within weeks.

 

4.0  Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1    NRI:  Lionel reported that Bill Nichols came to Washington and checked out several wetlands.  The Meadow Lot has great wildlife value, but it is too chopped up by roads and ATV trails; it is not considered an exemplary natural community.  However, the lands on the Ashuelot River just above Ashuelot Pond were extremely interesting to Bill Nichols.  He said it is the Òbest place heÕs seen all year.Ó  This is a pristine wetland community and is definitely exemplary.  This area will be brought to the attention of the Nature Conservancy and other conservation organizations.  The Washington Conservation Commission recognizes that the Ashuelot River headwaters area is an important priority for protection.

 

 

 

5.0 New Business:

5.1   NH Association of Conservation Commissions annual meeting will be on November 2nd.  All    Conservation Commission members are encouraged to attend.

5.2   Tom Taylor agreed to become an alternate to the Conservation Commission.

 

6.0 Correspondence:

 

 

7.0   Adjournment:  8:40 p.m.                   

 

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

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Carol K. Andrews

Secretary

 

cc:  Board of Selectmen

       Planning Board