April 13, 2016 | Town Admin Sutton Conservation Commission (SCC) Meeting Minutes Wednesday, April 13th, 2016 Present: Betsy Forsham, Chair, Don Davis, Henry Howell, Dan Sundquist, Jean LaChance, Chris Ashton, and Bonnie Hill, secretary. Absent: Wally Baker, Jane Williamson and Ben Dobrowski. (Chris to sit in for Ben.) Call to order: Betsy Forsham called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. Introduction to Dan Sundquist: As this was Dan’s first meeting, he was introduced to the other members and welcomed aboard. Previous Meeting’s Minutes: A motion was made by Jean and seconded by Don to approve the minutes of March 17, 2016. There being no discussion, the minutes were accepted as written, with one abstention. Financial Report: There is $2695.17 in the town account, which is 83.39% of the budget. The Conservation Account contains $106,999.47 and the King Hill Reservation account contains $6573.48, for a total of $113,572.95 in the Conservation Fund. A LUCT abatement of $1550.75 will come out of the Conservation Account. This is $20.75 more than was reported last month due to interest. Correspondence: Various emails from Michael Chiarella, the attorney handling the transfer of the Stevens Because of some anomalies, he recommended that the town purchase title insurance. The transfer is in process and should happen before the next tax issue. The total transferred will be approximately $84,883 including attorney’s fees, LCHIP, title insurance, etc. Email from Chris Connors on 4/2/2016 regarding the Warner River Conservation Postcard notice from Chris Connors for the Warner River Nomination Committee’s public information session on April 20th at 7:00 PM at Warner Town Notice from UNH of a free download of the “Stewardship Network Training Guide”. Flyer from Lake Sunapee Protective Association about “Soak Up the Rain, New Hampshire”, an event featuring rain gardens, on April 21stat 1:00 at the LSPA Learning Center. “Supply Lines with The Source” Spring 2016 issue of the newsletter of the NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau Various emails from Chris Connors regarding the invasive plant in North Visit from Dave Anderson and Carrie Deegan of SPNHF At 7:00, Dave and Carrie spoke to the Commission about the “Mt. Kearsarge Outdoor Classroom”, and handed out a write-up summarizing the program and its schedule. They are working with at-risk students at KRHS, who are very excited about this and wanted to expand it into a whole semester-long project. They are going to build a rustic bridge on part of the Lincoln Trail. The students will be hiking to the job site and using all hand tools to create the bridge from logs harvested on site by a forester. Lew Shelley of the SCA has been hired as contractor. Dave would like to create an educational connection between the high school and the 7000 acre matrix of wild land that surrounds it. He sees this project as a pilot, figuratively building a bridge to the school, and wants to help develop new measures of success for the students. Carrie said the student body is moving towards a new life skills model. Dave would like to see SCC partner with the school, and see what the faculty can come up with. Carrie wants to talk to the SRKG about the kids adopting their section of the Lincoln trail. Betsy mentioned the section of the SRKG near the middle school, and getting those kids involved, too. Betsy asked if there was a problem drawing students from the same pool as Henry’s current project. Dave answered that his is a special ed project, while Henry’s is a STEM project. His students are not designing their bridge, as Henry’s did. Henry wants to work with the entire school system. He is interested in whatever works to promote conservation. In the long term, he wants to integrate conservation into the entire existing curriculum – with math, science, art, and everything. In the short term, he wants to build another bridge, around the vernal pool in the KHR. This kind of collaboration is a win-win for everyone involved. Dave also talked about the PK Brown parcel that abuts the Black Mountain Reserve and is being purchased by SPNHF. He described it as scenic and wild with old growth and vernal pools, and possessing a perennial stream full of native brook trout. SPNHF needs to raise $190K for the purchase. He proposed that SCC co-sponsor a field trip to the parcel on Saturday, July 9th from 9:00 to 2:00, and the members agreed. Wetland Applications and Issues: Copy of Shoreland Impact Permit #2016-00477, dated 3/21/16, received for Lang, T/L 2- 479,224, Camp Kemah Rd. and Blaisdell Lake, for addition to existing dwelling. Copy of Standard Review Wetlands Permit Application for Town, Corporation Hill and Grist Mill Roads, for stabilization of Lane River There is a failing retaining wall. Review of Intents to Cut and Logging Issues: & P. Blakeman, T/L#s 8-434,064 & 403,189, Poor Farm Rd., 50 out of 173 acres. No issues. Old Business Overview of Saving Special Places held on 4/9/2016: No one from SCC was able to attend. Bobcat hunting season update: NH Fish & Game announced today that they are withdrawing the proposal to open a bobcat hunting and trapping season. Betsy noted that it is nice to know that when people join together, grass roots activism can be successful! Invasive plant in Smiley’s Grove stream The area has been fenced off by Amy Smagula, the Exotic Aquatic Species Coordinator from NHDES, and she is now writing up a management plan. Chris Connors says that since last fall, the plant has traveled 400 linear feet downstream from the initial sighting. Dan expressed concern about who is going to pay for this removal effort, as the DES has no funding, and the management plan could be open-ended. Chris A. and Dan both crossed the fence and looked at the plant in situ, and Chris asked a list of questions about it. Betsy and Dan both did some research on the plant and shared their findings. It is thought to be Oenanthe javanica but has not yet been positively ID’d by DNA testing. It closely resembles poison hemlock. It is not listed as an invasive species in NH, and is in fact sold at garden centers. It is invasive in Wisconsin and Illinois. It is edible, but absorbs toxins from water and can then become toxic to those who ingest it. Betsy would like to know just how invasive the plant really is. Whereas as there is much more information that needs to be known about both the plant and its possible impact on the stream, it was decided to wait for the state’s management plan, discuss it at the May meeting, and then invite Amy Smagula to the June meeting to talk about it, if necessary. Jean said the North Sutton Improvement Society will be having a meeting in April, and she suggested that SCC members attend it. New Business Conservation easement on Roby Road The SCC may need to contribute conservation fund money to the 72 acre project being considered for a conservation easement by ASLPT. Andy Deegan is still gathering information and will let us know the particulars by the SCC’s May meeting. Report on Meadow View Lot Owners Association meeting Betsy attended the meeting on March 22nd. There is a new president. The group discussed the possibility of giving each of the 10 lot owners a 1/10th share of the Common Land, and will approach an attorney to see how to write this up into a deed. This, as well as other items in the covenants, will have to be approved by the planning board. The bank account is going to be closed, but this won’t affect the SCC. The covenants specified that a survey of the wetlands be done, but it never was. Betsy got a quote for it a couple of years ago. The wetlands were supposed to be delineated with granite posts. Dan suggested that it would be more helpful to delineate the buffer zone, instead. There may be some funds available for this, but more research is needed. SCC public program Don said ASLPT wants to do “Cost of Community Services” and is looking for help from the Cooperative Extension. They are also considering a program on pollinators. Grantham did this last year and had over 100 people. If the ASLPT decides not to do it, maybe SCC could partner with the Sutton Historical Society to do something similar. Betsy spoke of getting Ben Nugent to do his presentation on fish studies in the Warner and Lane Rivers. He gave this last year just to the SCC board, and it was so good that she was wishing it had been done as a public event. Dan said it would be great if the presenter could also talk about water quality, and he suggested George Embley. Betsy noted that George was part of the original presentation and would be again. Betsy will talk to Ben Nugent about setting something up, maybe in June or July. Trail Work Chris reported that he did some trail work at the Lefferts area. SCC Properties & S-R-K Greenway Reports Report from Henry on bridge work with KRHS students at KHR: Henry covered this during the discussion with Dave Anderson. Adjournment: There being no further business, a Motion was made by Dan and seconded by Don to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m. The Motion was unanimously approved. Respectfully submitted, Bonnie Hill, Secretary The next meeting will be held on May 11th, 2016 @ 6:30 p.m.