MINUTES
1651 FOREST ADVISORY COMMITTEE
2/25/2010
Members present: Loretta Neilsen, Jeff Putnam, David Hoerle, Sue Haley
Members absent: Rosalyn Kaplan
Staff present: Mike O’Conner
Meeting was brought to order at 7:10. Minutes from 10/1/09 were moved by Mr. Putnam and seconded by Mr. Hoerle with no corrections.
A brief review of spring and fall plantings was given. Spicebush and inkberry will be ordered probably in March and delivered in May for late May planting. Sheep Laurel are being cultivated now and will not be big enough until the fall so will be the choice for fall plantings along with a few beach plums. All these species are likely to be purchased from a nursery in Reeseville Wisconsin.
The Friends of 1651 Arboretum were planning on doing some mulching on a number of the slower growing plants, but upon further discussion the Committee decided to put off mulching. The advice of the Committee is that the plants should be allowed to be slightly stressed to grow strong. Mulching may not be a benefit at this time. The decision was to analyze the elms in May or June to determine health and consider whether mulching would be beneficial at that time. The tupelos are in the wetland buffer therefore adding nitrogen in the form of mulch is problematic and not likely to be legal. Mr. O’Conner will check with Amy Usowski, the town Conservation Officer. The Committee approved mulching half of the sassafras on an experimental basis, after a mechanical clearing of bull briar and poison ivy was complete.
Mr. O’Conner will arrange for a small group of volunteers, perhaps Americorp volunteers, to assist with clearing bullbriar and poison ivy from around some of the planted species. This effort will probably take place at the time that he is marking sites for spring plantings. New planting sites will be cleared as well. Mr. Hoerle suggests that at the time of planting the holes should be dug up to perhaps 3 feet in circumference in order to give the new plantings a break from encroaching briars.
Mr. O’Conner brought updated data sheets that include 2009 plant measurements. In the fall, staff will take new measurements to add to the data base. Some GPS sites might be off as some trees showed shrinkage, but the majority of species show continued growth in girth and height.
American chestnut trees have been brought up as an option for future plantings. Great strides have been made in genetic research and there are organizations looking for sites to plant disease resistant specimens for future study. Ms. Haley has looked into their prior presence on the Cape and although they were unlikely dominant plants they have been present for thousands of years. The Friends are interested in the potential, but further research is necessary with input from experts. Ms. Haley will continue researching.
Next meeting is tentatively set for Thursday, May 20th at 7 PM.
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Ms. Neilsen and seconded by Mr. Putnam.
Respectfully submitted by,
Suzanne Haley
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