Woodlands Management Committee Meeting Minutes
Attendees: Martha Dwyer-Bergman, Bob Dewing, Cliff Miles,
Jerry Uhrig
Guests: Joan
Greentree (aka Greentree), Josh Bingham
Administrative
Minutes from the previous
meeting are on the website.
General
Cliff
reported that both gray and red foxes are living in Halsey Frederick Park this
year.
Cliff
also noted that one of the trees planted between the two new playfields has
been girdled by "buck rub." The tree apparently needed better protection
from the deer.
Deer
Phil Notestine was unable to attend the meeting but filed this report:
A total of 14 deer were reported taken by UBNJ bowhunters, including 11 does. So we can estimate 22 fetuses. We do not know about non-UBNJ hunters, and I am aware of some, including one of the borough crew and some residents who may not report. So, we can estimate a (summer) herd reduction of near 40. And, no cost to the Borough. Up to this point, I think that we can safely say that bowhunting is an effective herd management tool, once it is culled to a reasonable level. Many communities around the nation report similar findings.
The Environmental Commission planned for an infra-red count to be done this month, but was under-funded and now it may be too warm. Two vendors submitted proposals. One was HotShot who did the previous count. This time they promised new technology and better results. They were quoting about $3,700. The other vendor, Davis Aviation, was over $5K. Our budget is $3K. The County is using HotShot, which will do the flyover next week.
I have not received a report on 2006 deer-MV incidents from Chief Bob
Tovo. I know that he has been busy. Gary Webb will remind him of my
request. However, deer numbers seem to be unremarkable as far as
presence, incidents and damage.
UBNJ reported an incident between one of their bowhunters and a
resident. She (the citizen) tried to provoke a problem, but the
responding MLPD saw through a ruse on her part, so I am told. Gary Webb
confirms this.
On another topic, I have read that there is a national threat to amphibians, some kind of fungus, maybe the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Let's do a watch of our vernal ponds! We have no benchmark, but the frogs and toad critters were certainly vocal last spring. Tree(peepers) frogs should be hollerin' in March! A wonderful song of Spring and rebirth! Some mole salamanders may be in the ponds now.
Plenty of bird action here in
establishing activities. Come on, Spring! One more month!
As
per Phil’s notes, Jerry confirmed that Hotshot will be doing the deer census
for the county in the Tourne, and it is likely to include portions of
Martha
mentioned that in the past month, she saw 6 bucks in the woods behind her house
on
At this time we do not have
the final results of the deer management program in the
Beavers
Jerry
showed photos of the beaver lodge and the surrounding area in the Tourne. It is the vicinity of the spring house trail,
which connects the two sides of the valley. There are two bridges on this
trail. One has become a beaver dam, and the other has been flooded out. The
bridge that has been flooded is about 20 yards downstream from where the lodge
is located. The photos showed the damage done by the beavers, saplings cut down
and removed and a large beech tree girdled.
This
time of year, access to the beaver area is simplified because the ground is
frozen hard. It was noted that in a
couple of places the beavers have removed oriental bittersweet and winged
euonymus. This would be the only positive effect of the beavers on our
woodlands to date.
Some
of us walked the area in December with a trapper, but he was not successful in
trapping the beavers. Gary Webb contacted DEP Fish and Wildlife and told them
that we still need assistance with the beavers. Our case manager, Chris Sliker,
was out of the office and will get back to us when he returns.
In
2003, beavers built the first dam in the Tourne. At that time Rob Jennings, Morris County Park
System biologist, was quoted as stating that the beaver population in the
Deer Exclosures
We
discussed three alternate designs for deer exclosures. The most common
exclosure is based on having a tall enough fence so that deer will not try to
jump over it. Usually, a seven or eight foot fence is used. Recently, we have
learned about two alternative designs that have been used successfully by
Greentree, a landscape architect living in
From
a maintenance and accessibility standpoint the lower multi-fence design is very
appealing. What needs to be determined now is how large an area can be
protected with this approach because we need to be able to protect an area large
enough to be statistically significant, maybe as large as one-quarter acre.
We
selected four sites for deer exclosures, chosen to give us a representative
sample of woodlands throughout the Borough:
1. The Borough lot on
2. A site somewhere in
3. Halsey Frederick Park near
the ECO-Hike between stations 13 and 14
4. The woodlands at the end of
Eagle Scout Projects
Josh
Bingham, a member of Boy Scout Troop 41, is planning his Eagle Scout project
and is considering doing a project involving deer exclosures. We gave him
material on Benner fencing, which is a recommended supplier of the taller
fences. He will next determine the manageable scope of his project and follow
up with questions as they arise.
INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL
It
has been noted that in at least one area in our woodlands, when garlic mustard
has been removed, Japanese stiltgrass has replaced it. This serves as a
reminder to all of us of the need for patience and persistence in this effort.
First, we deal with the garlic mustard, and then we work on the Japanese
stiltgrass, which is also a serious invasive plant.
Invasives Control Task
Groups
As
decided at our previous meeting, the first Invasives Control Task Group outing
will take place on Saturday, March 24, 10am to noon, at the Eco-Hike area. We
will be working on invasives listed in the Invasive Plant Calendar for April:
garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, wineberry, and oriental
bittersweet.
We
decided at this meeting that the second outing will be held on Saturday, April
21,
Japanese Knotweed Control
Jerry
brought an article from the summer 2006 newsletter of the Native Plant Society
of New Jersey, which explains in great detail the correct approach to remove
knotweed from an area. Basically, it is
rhizome, which makes it nearly impossible to remove by digging it up because
the small rhizomes are left in the soil, and with the soil disturbed it
encourages more invaders. It spreads
aggressively through the rhizomes and also through fresh stems that are cut off
and left on the ground (they can root in less than 7 days). The best way to rid a site of them is to cut
the stems repeatedly, at least three times during the growing season and thus
reduce the root reserves of the rhizomes.. CUT STALKS
IN EARLY JUNE TO DRAW RESERVES OF THE RHIZOME.
IN AUGUST OR WHEN STALKS REACH APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET IN HEIGHT, SPRAY TO
COAT LEAVES. THE TIMING OF CUTTING AND
HERBICIDE APPLICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT. This must be continued for as long as
the knotweed is present in the area, maybe for a number of years. However, once the stem is cut it CANNOT be
left on the ground the stems must been bagged and properly disposed, either
burnt or dried in the direct sunlight.
It may even be possible to cover the remaining stems in the ground with
clear plastic so that the sun will dry out the stem. The plastic must be secured so that it cannot
be washed or blown away. Finally,
herbicides are effective but not to be used near watershed areas or lakes, or
rivers.
Martha
mentioned that the shoulder of
ADDITIONAL TOPICS
Volunteers
Richard
Uranker, our Council liaison this year, was unable to attend the meeting but he
offered some good ideas about finding ways to direct student service hours to
projects that would be more directly beneficial to the Borough. Jerry has been
collaborating with Patty McElduff for several years on various ways to meet
these kinds of needs. But to date, these efforts have been less than a
resounding success. The gains have been small relative to the need. Richard has
suggested that it might be helpful for Gary Webb to discuss the matter with the
school superintendent. We want to be sure that we are making the best use of
this resource.
In
addition, there are other groups that might be helpful: churches and various
scouting groups. They often all have a need to find service projects. On our
part, we can help them appreciate how to be good stewards of their community.
Sudden Oak Death Conference
Jerry
brought a copy of the proceedings from the Sudden Oak Death Science Symposium
II. There were two papers assessing the risk of SOD across the
New York/New
Jerry
shared a Trails Conference article that reported about 59 Trail Conference
volunteers walking 66 miles of parkland in the Harriman and Ringwood/Ramapo
area this past summer. The volunteers were called VIPS, or Volunteer Invasive
Plant Surveyers. Flags were placed at various locations along trails. When a
hiker encountered one of the flags, a ten-foot radius circle around the flag
was surveyed.
They
collected information about the presence or lack of 22 species of invasive
plants. The most prevalent were: garlic
mustard, devil's walking stick, Japanese barberry, oriental bittersweet, winged
euonymus, privet, honeysuckle, and multiflora rose.
The
program seems to have worked well for them. It could possibly work for us as
well.
Jerry
brought copies of a letter that the State of New Jersey/DEP/Natural and
Historic Resources wrote to the President of the Rockaway Valley Garden Club to
acknowledge an inquiry regarding the development of an invasive species
management plan. After an apparent lapse
of a year or so, the Council has resumed regularly scheduled meetings, the last
being
Mountain Laurel Disease
There
is a disease affecting mountain laurels in this area. Leaves appear to have
brown splotches and eventually the shrub dies. It seems to be affecting both
the native understory in the woodlands and the residential ornamentals. Jerry
gave Cliff a sample leaf taken from