Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – February 18, 2009

 

Assembly time: 6:00 PM.

 

Present: Carol Andrews, Rich Cook, Nan Schwartz, and Jed Schwartz

Guests: None

 

1.0    Approval of Minutes: Minutes from January, Jed made a motion to approve, Rich seconded, all voted in favor.

 

2.0    Old Business:

2.1   Dredge and Fill Committee – Journey's End/WLA Mooring project is ongoing. They have hired a consultant to help finish their application and answer the questions DES asked for clarification. They are also looking for an extension to the March 3rd deadline.

2.2   Town meeting day - We plan to display all the NRI maps and have copies of the NRI and Conservation Plans available for viewing. They are also available online here: http://www.washingtonnh.org/WCC_Html/NRICP.html

        Carol will speak about the 2 conservation warrant articles at Town Meeting and also at "Meet the Candidates Night" on February 28th. She agreed to attend a Selectmen's meeting and speak with them about the articles to educate them better about them.

2.3   Planning Board – Nan spoke about the PLAN NH charrette application that the Planning Board decided to do at the last meeting. Jed made a motion to write a letter of support for inclusion with the application, Nan seconded, all voted in favor. Carol and Sandy will coordinate and write the letter.

2.4   Energy Committee – Johanna missed the meeting because of the storm. The Energy Committee minutes are posted on the website here: http://www.washingtonnh.org/WCC_Html/minutes.html

2.5   Carol attended the hearing in Concord about the changes to current use law and reported that they have set the rates for this year at 80% old rate/20% new rate. This was a way to phase in the new rates and not hit the towns all at once. She said people with a lot of white pine on their current use land will be paying more at the new rates and others will be paying less.

        Carol reported that the new state budget is very stark, but DES had no cuts to their budget.

        She said that the Forest Society recently had to cut 8 staff members and 2 programs. The programs cut were the Center for Land Conservation Assistance and the Research Department.

 

3.0   New Business – none

 

4.0   WhatÕs Happening in Nature?

Nan commented that we are having a snowstorm tonight and it was pretty slippery out on the roads. This is our first storm in a while. Carol mentioned that this is the time of year when you can find antlers lying on the ground (if you are lucky and can spot them). A friend of hers found a perfect, large moose antler in a field. Searching for antler "sheds" is a fun way to spend time outside this time of year. For more information on how antlers form and "shed hunting" click here: http://www.washingtonnh.org/WCC_Html/NewinNature.html and Happy Hunting! Speaking of antlers, Carol thinks that elk roamed around Washington at one time. We'll have to look into that.

Carol saw some coyotes running across the ice on Halfmoon Pond in the middle of the day recently and Rich heard some coyotes very near his house in the middle of the night. Rich said that he was told that to keep coyotes away you should never shoot them because the pack will just replace the dead one with a new member keeping the pack the same size. He was told to put out some tainted meat (of the kind of animals you keep on your property). This will just make them sick to their stomachs and they will avoid going after that kind of animal in the future or will just move along to find better eats some where else.

Carol commented that owls are active right now and they are nesting. She spoke about the tiny Saw Whet Owl; he is a little tiny owl who you can walk right up to in the wild. They tend to count on camouflage and sitting still for defense.

       

5.0   Other Business – None

 

6.0   Correspondence:

              NH Arborists Association Community Beautification Awards Program

              Conservation Fund Report of Town Treasurer as of Dec. 31- $44,381.67

              Conservation fund Balance as of 2/5/09- $80,198.69

              NH Community Forestry Advisory Council January Bulletin

             

 

7.0   Adjourned at 8:15 PM, our next scheduled meeting is March 18th at 7 PM at the Town Hall.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Nan Schwartz

Secretary