Woodlands Management Committee Meeting Minutes
Attendees: Martha Dwyer-Bergman, Bob Dewing, Phil Notestine
Administrative
Jerry was home sick with a
cold. So he sent out notes before the meeting on agenda items. Where it is
useful to use the notes, they are shown in italics.
Minutes from the March meeting are on the website. No
changes were needed.
Scout Project: Bluebirds
NJ Audubon Spring/Summer issue has an article on
bluebirds written by
someone who works at the
do like dead trees for nest sites. So we
need to keep that in mind as we work on
our management plans. Jerry will send a
copy to Kyle Bolo since it will be another
resource he can draw on.
There
was nothing to add to Jerry’s statement on this.
Owls
Andy Bulfer found an owl
house at Birchwood, about twenty feet from the
water at about
Products, it is intended for saw-whet or screech owls.
Apparently, someone put
it up and then forgot about it. Assuming
that the location makes sense, it needs
some TLC. See the attached photo. Can
someone take care of it?
Phil offered to look into it
and then when Bob arrived he offered to talk to Peter Bolo and the Environmental
Club at the high school to see who put it up.
Reports
Deer
Chronic
Wasting Disease
The current issue of the QDMA magazine has a good
2-page status report
on chronic wasting disease. If anyone gets
to the Deer Workshop in PA this
Saturday, they will have even more current information
since one of the speakers
is a CWD specialist. In any case, we can
talk about this at the May meeting.
There is nothing urgent here.
Deer
Browsing
Martha mentioned that she has
a number of deer in the woods behind her house on 61 Tower Hill and that they
are eating the daylilies already. Phil
suggested that a powder be put on both the hostas and
the daylilies that will keep the deer away from them.
Invasives
H&S
article
The installment for the May H&S Bulletin told
people to start cutting
off the flowering stalks on garlic mustard
before they spread seeds. Better yet,
just pull out the plants if there aren't too
many. I haven't heard from
about it, but I assume it got in OK.
It was our feeling that this
is the area that we need to work on to educate the community as to the threats
that these plants pose to the woodlands. We don’t seem to have a comprehensive
plan on how to achieve this other than the H & S Bulletin and the website. Martha suggested that we use the library’s
display case to highlight this concern.
Perhaps it could encompass a broad overview of our committee’s goals. We could copy Linda’s video onto a DVD or VHS
for people to view at home. Continue to
educate about Garlic Mustard. Have our
website printed in LARGE PRINT on all hand outs, request volunteers for
activities, give a preview of coming events (Bob’s tree felling and planting),
vernal pool education.
Phil also mentioned that the
Environmental Commission is looking for things to do although they have
suddenly had a number of members unable to continue serving on the committee
due to job relocations and other members stepping down.
Trees
Clean-up
demonstration: This is the one which should get the attention from
everyone. We all need to be involved on this.
It's a key element of our
woodlands management activities. We are trying to
determine what kinds of things
are both possible and practical. I was
hoping that we could plan a very small
initial demonstration which would deal with the
leaning dead tree between
Stations 12 and 13 of the ECO-Hike. Someone
marked it with a couple of stakes.
It's right next to the trail. I don't think any
critters would lose their home
over this one but someone should check more
closely than I did. Once we have the
demonstration planned and have identified what
resources we might need, then we
should review it with Gary Webb. He needs to
be in the loop on it. My thought is
that this needs to be an initial feasibility
demo to be followed probably by a
larger demo over in the woods up from the YMCA on
List for Shade Tree Comm:
Martha has completed the research on the trees and
shrubs in Bob's list. I have to compile a
spread sheet for easy reference. I was
going to do that today but I'm just barely
coping. I'll do it as soon as I get
healthy again.
Bob will speak to
Vernal Pools
Lots of noise but no good pictures yet. Not even
wood frogs eggs.
I know the eggs have to be out there by now. And I
have waded all over two good
pools.
Phil and Bob both concerned
that the Vernal Pools are in very good shape.
Martha mentioned the pool that is on Tower Hill and whether that is
considered a Vernal Pool and if so whether the Mosquito Commission’s spraying
in the summer is causing harm to the water life? Martha will talk to