WASHINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION

 

Minutes- October 28, 2003

 

1.0 Assembly: Time 7:00 p.m.

Present: Mike Andrews, Carol Andrews, John Tweedy, Jed Schwartz, Nan Schwartz, Peter France, Jim Lane (Highland Lake Association).

 

2.0 Approval of Minutes: approved as printed

 

3.0 Old Business:

3.1 Dredge and Fill Committee- no activity

3.2 Mike is working with the Center for Land Conservation Assistance to come up with a landowner outreach program. They are willing to help us develop a proposal to apply for grants.

3.3 Roadside Cleanup- 29 bags for the year

3.4 Lionel Chute has information regarding grants to pay for outreach at the boat launches. We can apply for $3,000 for each boat launch. The money pays a person to talk with boaters about invasive aquatic species.

3.5 What’s happening in nature? Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are migrating- They travel up to three-thousand miles twice a year: south in the fall and north in the spring. To avoid the long, cold northern winters, monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains winter along the California coast. Those east of the Rockies fly south to the mountain forests of Mexico. Unlike migrating birds and whales, however, individual monarchs only make the round-trip once. It is their great-grandchildren that return south the following fall. Eastern populations winter in Florida, along the coast of Texas, and in Mexico, and return to the north in spring.  Monarch butterflies follow the same migration patterns every year. Tens of millions of these butterflies spend the winter in a mountain forest in Central Mexico.

 

4.0 Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1  

5.0 New Business

5.1 Jim Lane President of the Highland Lake Association gave us an update of their conservation efforts. With the help of the Society for the Protection of NH Forests they have purchased 404 acres in Washington and Stoddard. This property includes Wild Lake. A conservation easement was recently placed on the property. The property is open for all types of recreation including ATVs (no overnight camping without permission). The Highland Lake Association consists of 100 paying members; the largest association on Highland Lake. HLA is applying for a $50,000 US Fish and Wildlife grant to help pay for the property. Jim asked for a letter of support. Nan moved that we send such a letter. Second by Peter. Motion passed. Carol will email Jim, and he will send a sample letter.

Mike mentioned that grants are available from Fish and Game for trail easements if the trail is part of a state snowmobile network.

6.0 Correspondence: Association of Conservation Commissions newsletter, Fox Forest newsletter

 

7.0   Adjournment: 8:15 p.m.                   

 

7.1 Next Meeting Date: Tuesday November 25^th at 7:00 at the Town Hall.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Carol K. Andrews, Secretary