July 19, 2022 | Bonnie Hill Sutton Conservation Commission Draft Meeting Minutes Wednesday, July 13, 2022 Present: Henry Howell, Chair; Barbara Hoffman; Don Davis; Lynn Wittman; Wally Baker; Debbie Lang; and Bonnie Hill. Absent: Chuck Bolduc; Jim Morris. Members of the public present: Tom Paul; Jon Marshall; Sondra Brake. Call to order: Henry Howell called the meeting to order at 6:40 pm. Previous Meeting’s Minutes: Don moved that the minutes from June 8th be approved, and Bonnie seconded. The minutes were unanimously approved. Financial Report: Debbie sent out a financial report before the meeting. $561 was expended in June for secretarial services. Henry said he will be submitting $200 in expenses from the Special Projects account. We have spent $2,637 year-to-date out of our budget of $7,612. At the end of June the Conservation Fund had a balance of $166,859.99 and King Hill Fund had a balance of $2,060.17. The Capital Reserve is at $57,581.34. Trail Maintenance and Development Trails Advisory Committee Report >Spring Trail Cleanup Report Henry said we had a wonderful Trail Work Day, with 12 people participating. Lynn and Pat put up trail markers on the lower Felch, Hominy Pot and Lyon Brook trails, and reported that the beaver-related flooding at the footbridge on the Putnam path is causing serious erosion. Lynn called Jim at NH Fish & Game to report it. Bonnie cut down saplings on the March Hare trail, focusing on the largest ones. Everyone else worked on clearing out the Nichols Homestead site, revealing the remains of a cellar hole, barn, paddock, well, and stone walls. Henry wants to make this a destination for hiking, adding descriptive historical information to it such as what the house looked like, etc. It’s a rare example of a historical site in Sutton that is not on private property. Henry has applied to the state DOT for permission to build a link trail for 1000 feet along I-89, so that a loop hike can be made to the site. The goal is to lure people into the woods and make them appreciate the forest, history and wildlife of our area. >KHR Donation System Jim was absent, but sent a report to Bonnie, which she read aloud. This included a draft memo to the BOS, describing how the donation system would work and requesting “blanket approval” to permit the transfer of donated funds from the merchant service provider account to the Conservation Fund. Henry said we need legal backup; the town attorney’s opinion should be attached to the memo. Wally asked Bonnie to forward Jim’s memo to Elly and ask her to send it to the town attorney for their approval before the next BOS meeting. Appointment 7:00PM: Tom Paul regarding snowmobile access in the William Bean Quarry Henry introduced Tom Paul and said that he was here to request permission for the Sutton Ridgerunners snowmobile club (SRR) to use the Bean Quarry trail. He said the Bean Quarry is a 139 acre parcel that Tom sold to the town cheap, and that before he sold it, Tom built a snowmobile trail (Tom’s Trail) on it along with Charlie Ash, Charlie Forsberg, and Jim Lowe. Tom said he was not here to represent the SRR but to defend the land that was granted to the town. He said he heard at the April SRR meeting that the SCC did not want snowmobiles on the KHR trails. Henry said snowmobiles already have the use of a trail that goes all the way across KHR, and because we were concerned about the snowmobilers going all over the place off that trail, signs were put up forbidding snowmobiles in the non-designated areas. Since then the SRR has asked for more trails to be opened to snowmobiles. Wally explained to Tom that we have discussed opening one more KHR trail to snowmobiles, the one least used by skiers, for a one-year trial, with the SRR assuming responsibility for policing the trail. Tom said Aaron Flewelling, the club president, is cognizant of concerns about snowmobiles on private property. Several years ago they had an issue with unauthorized snowmobile use at the Country Club of NH, and they were able to resolve that by the use of signage and trail marking. They also had an issue at Muster Field Farm. He said the club depends upon the generosity of property owners. He said that when the conservation easement for the Bean Quarry was created, snowmobile use was included in it. He agrees with the idea of a one year trial, and said that signage is everything. Henry asked how Tom felt about snowmobilers riding off the trail at Bean Quarry. Tom answered that they would hit a tree. He said it is better that that trail be a one-way trail. Henry asked if it should be widened, and Tom said that was probably not necessary. He said skiers are not in danger from the snowmobiles because their noise alerts the skiers to move over. He said safety is not a concern. Henry said we are encouraging back country skiers to use KHR trails 1 and 2, and we are planning to let other trails grow in as wildlife habitat. Trail 3 (Brillig’s Run) is the one we were planning to open to snowmobiles. He said if the Bean Quarry trail is opened, skiers will want to go down it, too, and we will need caution signs to warn them about the snowmobiles. Lynn said that over the trial year we will need to see how many snowmobiles use the trail, and how much trash there is. She said Aaron said he would help us with trail maintenance. Tom said it is important to keep the snowmobilers off private property. Henry said signage has been added, and boundaries need to be set. Don asked, after the snowmobilers reach the top of the hill, where do they go? Tom said they would take Tom’s trail to King Hill Rd, then turn right on Poor Farm Rd, then turn down toward Sutton Mills. They can also go across King Hill Rd. Wally asked Tom to have Aaron come in with guarantees, signage and plans for education, and an agreement is more than possible. Tom said he would ask him to come to the September meeting. Lynn suggested a trail day to put up signage with the SRR and the SCC. Barb told Tom that we had closed the entry point of the Bean Quarry after it was logged, because of erosion. Bonnie said that ATVs and trucks were driving up it, so we closed it off with a large tree trunk and boulders. She said if we take that barrier away, the ATVs and accompanying erosion will again be a problem. Henry said we will need to install a gate that can be closed in the summer. Bonnie pointed out that if the Bean Quarry trail is opened, then the amount of trail mileage we are turning over to snowmobile use is essentially double the amount that we had talked about at our last discussion. Review of Wetlands Applications and issues Wetlands review of D. Lang driveway extension project at 98 Camp Kemah Rd. T/L #02-479-224. This is within the 75 foot buffer around Blaisdell Lake. The Planning Board approved a conditional use permit. Approval is also needed from the DES and the Sutton ZBA. Henry asked if there were any objections, and there were none. Wetlands review of H. Howell screen tent platform application at Camp Kemah Rd, T/L # 02-481-214. Henry passed out copies of his plan for this platform, which is within the 75 foot buffer of Blaisdell Lake. There is no excavation required and no cutting of vegetation. The platform is pressure-treated wood with drainage gaps between the boards, resting on posts on top of the ground. The DES has already approved it and a variance is being sought from the ZBA. Don took over the meeting and asked if there were any objections, and there were none. Review of Intents to Cut and Logging Issues: J. and K. Sercel, Eaton Grange Rd West, T/L #3-934-262, 10 acres out of 72.2, Nick Rowe, logger. Wally said they have already logged for a driveway, and are seeking a permit to build a house on the class 6 road. Henry said it would be nice if they could leave a buffer between the logged area and Webb/Crowell. Don asked, as more and more people buy land on class 6 roads, what has to happen for them to get those roads to be changed to class 5? Wally said they would need to take the request to Town Meeting. Don wondered if any of this is mentioned in the Master Plan. Woodlot & Grange LLC, Eaton Grange Rd, T/L #s 1-338-510 and 3-406-095, 75 acres out of 238.1, Nicholas Brunet, logger. There are wetlands on the west side of this parcel, including Cornelius Pond. C. Courser, Pound Road South, T/L # 5-815-136, 15 acres out of 80.7, Aaron Sterling, logger. Copy of Incomplete Forestry Statutory Permit-by-Notification received from NHDES for P. Teloian, 2022-01631. Copy of Forestry Statutory Permit-by-Notification received from NHDES for P. Teloian, 2022-01631. New Business Turtle Crossing Signs – After our discussion at the last meeting, Henry ordered 30 signs to be made for $200. They are corrugated plastic with wire stands. Yvonne Howard, Joanna Murphy and Bonnie placed them near the Town Wetlands, Gile Pond, Thistle Brook, Russell Pond and Blaisdell Lake. Don said he has seen a turtle crossing on Cotton Road, so that location should be added next year. The signs will be taken down July 20th. Next year we should put them up at the beginning of the breeding season, in late May. Preparation for August 10th SCC meeting – Henry said our meeting will be quasi-historic. Until recently, logging was thought to be silvaculture, and the purpose of a woodlot was the production of timber. Global climate change has added a new wrinkle to the idea of forest management, however, which is being discussed more and more. Questions are being raised about how we deal with our forests. Trees mitigate global warming by storing and sequestering carbon, but what kind of trees are best at doing that? Henry said there are two significant points of view. One says that old growth trees, because of their huge mass, are better at storing carbon. The other says that young trees, with their fast growth, sequester carbon faster. Trees between 15 and 30 years old are most efficient at sequestering (i.e. gathering) carbon, though they are no so great at storing it. The big issue is do we leave the forest alone, or try to manage it to most efficiently keep carbon out of the atmosphere. He said what we do may set a precedent for what other towns in the state do with public lands. He said Barre, VT has logged their town forest and created a huge uproar. Debbie said this issue came up at the last ASLPT outreach meeting. Henry said that even the president of the Forest Society, a champion of silvaculture, talked about it in his intro to the latest issue of Forest Notes. Henry wants to ask someone from SPNHF to come to our meeting. He would like to include a real environmentalist – someone with a science background, like Leon Malan, who is a professor at Colby-Sawyer. Debbie asked if he was considering a panel of experts, and giving each person a few minutes to speak? Henry said yes. Other candidates for the panel could include Tim Fleury or Dode Gladders, Leon Malan, Leo Maslan, and Andy Deegan. Wally said one question to ask is how to create the right balance of old and new growth. Henry said one of the articles presented by Dode Gladders at the ASLPT outreach meeting (FOREST CARBON An essential natural solution for climate change) was so excellent that he would like to be able to get copies made and pass them out to people at the meeting. Don said there is some confusion around the term “old growth”. In NH, there is very little actual uncut forest, even in the White Mountains. It can refer to forests that have been cut once and allowed to grow back. Lynn asked about how to publicize the meeting, and Henry said he will come up with a notice, which will say simply that we will be having a discussion of logging parts of KHR, and that the public is welcome to attend. Lynn would like to post it at the trailheads, post offices, beach, dump, etc. She said that Jane Williamson has put posters up around town, and that we should put up our official notices too. Wally said that only Sutton residents will be able to have a say in the outcome, if it comes to Town Meeting. Lynn will run 3 ads in the InterTown, plus put it in the InterTown calendar and Judy Lowe’s column. Bonnie said she would post it at the trailheads and on the town website. She asked if the Forest Management Plan should be put on our website, even though it is just a draft, and the consensus was yes. Watershed-based Plan (WBP) for Kezar Lake – Lynn said that in light of cyanobacteria concerns, we need a plan for the entire Kezar Lake watershed. She has contacted Polly Crocker, a stormwater management professional, and she is starting a WBP committee. Lynn said a WBP will cost between $50K and $80K. Bonnie asked if there are other towns in the watershed that can contribute. Don said that New London has had a large impact on the Kezar watershed. The deadline for a federal Watershed Assistance Grant is September 30th. Lynn asked about inviting Polly to the September meeting. Old Business Update on Low Salt Road issue – Debbie said there is support for this from the BOS, and Elly will call a meeting in August with the interested parties. The school department has their own annual meeting in August, and this is on their agenda. Horse Beach Parking plan update – Wally said the road agent dumped a load of gravel in the boat launch parking lot and spread it out to fix it again temporarily. We need to have an engineer look at this for a longer term solution. The road agent said he would plow the parking area at Kezar Lake Natural Area if we remove the delineating telephone poles. Update on Japanese Knotweed reduction project at Sundell Natural Area – Bonnie said she went there last month and did not see any knotweed coming up except at the left edge where it may not have gotten the spray. She sent pictures to Doug Cygan, the USDA invasive plant expert, and asked him what we should do. He said there is no need for us to do anything, and that he will come back later in the summer to treat anything that remains. Bonnie looked again two days ago and saw no more knotweed, and a lot of milkweed in bloom. Correspondence NHACC June eNews with news about efforts by other ConComs, training opportunities (AMC trail maintenance workshops), NHDES Watershed Assistance grant opportunities and more. LSPA annual report from the Center for Lake Studies. Lakeside, quarterly publication of NHLakes, Spring 2022. Legislative updates re water protection. Forest Notes, magazine of the SPNHF, Spring 2022 issue. The Beacon, newsletter of the LSPA, Spring/Summer 2022 issue. As an abutter, SCC received a notice from the Town of Sutton about a public hearing regarding a Lot Line Adjustment on Summit Rd, T/L #s10-406-263 and 10-396-222. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 10th, 2022, at 6:30 PM, at Sutton Town Hall. Respectfully submitted, Bonnie Hill, Secretary