Woodlands Management Committee Meeting Minutes

February 16, 2011

 

Attendees: Cliff Miles, Bob Dewing, Dan Happer, Jerry Uhrig

 

  1. High School Students reforestation activities: The students have been following up on their reforestation effort of two years ago with ongoing analysis of survival rates and monitoring the condition of the deer exclosures. They have been invited to report on this work at the March Woodlands meeting. They would like to continue with reforestation efforts this year.
  2. American chestnut restoration: The woodlands of our borough were once graced with stately American chestnut trees, as were most of the woodlands throughout our region. In the early twentieth century, they were the dominant hardwood forest tree. They were until they succumbed to the Chestnut blight. By mid-century they were essentially gone except for lone blight-resistant survivors here and there. Since that time there have been two organizations working to restore this unique American tree to its former range. The American Chestnut Foundation is working to produce a hybrid that is predominantly American chestnut but with enough Chinese chestnut to provide blight resistance. The other approach, being taken by the American Chestnut Coordinator’s Foundation, is to locate blight-resistant trees and then nurture their progeny, about 10% of which might be blight-resistant. Interested parties may support these efforts by taking a membership in these organizations and in return receiving seeds to grow into new trees, some of them blight-resistant. The Chestnut Coordinator’s Foundation has also had some success in grafting new stock to existing chestnut roots, which have never been harmed by the blight.
  3. Eagle scout project: A current Eagle scout project is proposing to clear a section of woodlands of alien invasive vegetation and trash and then plant new understory and canopy vegetation.
  4. Japanese knotweed control: We plan to give some special attention to Japanese knotweed control this year. Bob Dewing suggested that the Scouts could probably be helpful in this effort.
  5. Committee staffing: Dan Happer inquired about our staffing needs. We could probably use at least two good people interested and motivated in woodlands management issues. Hands-on types are best.

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm.