Woodlands Management Committee Meeting Minutes

September 20, 2006

Attendees: Louise Davis, Jerry Uhrig

Administrative

Minutes from the June meeting are on the website.

Due to various health problems, other commitments, and conflicts, none of the committee members were able to attend. So we spent a short time reviewing some key issues and then adjourned early.

Deer

Phil reported via email that three female deer had been taken by bow hunters in the woods at the end of Yorke Road. He also reported good understory growth everywhere he looked, and better bird presence and activity, including raptors.

Phil also reported more nuisance bear incidents and more deer damage. Louise reported seeing a group of 5-6 deer in Halsey Frederick Park.

Joint Activities with Recreation Commission

Jerry reported that two nature hikes at Birchwood taken as part of the summer recreation program were very successful for the Woodlands Committee. They were both planned as fairly loosely structured guided hikes on the trail around Birchwood. The hikes were taken on July 31, the younger group grades K-3, and August 1, the grades 4-8 group. There were about 30 children in each group and plenty of counselors to help out. The hikes were scaled to the physical abilities of the groups, the younger group made it about half as far as the older group. The older group hiked the entire perimeter of the lake, nearly a mile. We looked at lichens, fungus, wildflowers, trail maintenance, duck boxes, a vernal pool, a chestnut tree, northern water snakes and bullfrogs in the lake, and whatever else seemed interesting. It was nice to see that the children were generally fairly knowledgeable and interested in the woodlands. At the end of the hike, the children had crafts and, since it was very hot, swimming to complete an eventful morning.

Louise, also liaison to the Recreation Commission, confirmed that the activity was also successful as recreation. Denise Brennan and Jerry plan to schedule additional activities in the future.

Invasives

Work on invasive vegetation continues. It is now the season for cutting off and applying herbicide to the stump. Jerry reported that the patch of Japanese knotweed next to the Birchwood parking lot has returned this year after having been cut and treated last year. It does seem to be somewhat thinner though. Louise said that it can take as much as 5 years to completely remove a patch of knotweed. The patch at Birchwood is more of a test patch. The major known knotweed infestations are along Pocono Road, across from the Borough Garage and across from Devezias' house (adjacent to the West Shore field).

We also noted that it is a good time to work on ailanthus saplings and seedlings, which are fairly common around town but especially next to the street along Roberts Drive in the Borough lot between West Shore Road and Arden Road.

It is also a good time to get a start on the devil's walking stick along Laurel Hill Road and the Boulevard and along Morris Avenue near Louise Davis' house.

The invasives removal calendar that has been running in monthly installments in the Home and School Bulletin has been well received. Residents have been finding the information to be helpful.