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Nottingham Conservation Commission Workshop on July 19, 2011.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Sam Demeritt. Other members in attendance were Susan Mooney, Deb Stevens and Celia Abrams.
Invasive Species (IS) Management: Abrams will purchase colored pins to indicate locations of IS on the map of Nottingham. The state website, www.agr.state.nh.us lists the IS in NH. We decided to keep our focus (to a more manageable) on 10 to include: Autumn Olive, Japanese Knotweed, Bittersweet, Burning Bush, Multiflora Rose, Black Swallowwort, Barberry (sp), Garlic Mustard, Honeysuckle and Purple Loosestrife. This list will be referenced in the Nottingham Newsletter and we will ask residents to contact the NCC for control/ eradication measures. The NCC will also have
a display and info available for Nottingham Day. Stevens will try to get more Invasive Species booklets from the state for the library, the Town Clerk’s Office and the Selectmen’s Office.
Abrams and Mooney will be removing the Turtle Crossing signs from locations around town and will note locations of IS. Also NCC members can note IS during roadside cleanup and river water testing dates.
Vision/Mission statements: It was determined that Vision and Mission have different directives. Mooney will continue to work on the Vision, and Abrams will draft a Mission statement.
Four Generals’ Greenway River Trail: Mooney recently met with Janet Horvath, Director of the Recreation Department to show her the NCC’s proposal for a connecting path way for town residents that would connect the Kimball property on Freeman Hall Road to the Merriam Daggett piece, then the Tasker, then the school property, crossing the road to Mulligan Forest then finally to the Bear-Paw property across from the Town Municipal Office Building. There would be only a couple of private properties along the way, two road crossings and possibly some wetland crossings. This would be a multi year project to be accomplished in segments. Horvath was concerned with the wetland crossings and the permanency of easement restrictions. She is under the impression that conservation easements can easily be broken. Stevens and
Demeritt will gather literature/ information to give to Horvath re: this issue.
Abrams and Mooney will contact Dan DeButts, Boy Scout Troop Leader, to see if trail making would be appropriate for Eagle Scout projects.
It was noted that Deerfield has a town forest with a trail system and that the trail also goes through conservation and private (not conserved) properties.
Four Generals’ Greenway (4GG) Conservation Lands: In order to identify areas appropriate to include on the 4GG there needs to be supporting documentation that would provide a rating system for high conservation values. Large block size, special natural communities, co-occurences , connectivity, were criteria mentioned.
Also discussed was what role the NCC should assume when easement restricted properties change hands. For easements held by the Town and monitored by the NCC, it would be practical to contact new land owners with deed restricted properties to inform them what activities are allowed and not allowed in these areas. Abrams will draft a letter for this purpose, and copies of the easement deeds will be included with the letters for the new property owners.
It was moved by Mooney seconded by Abrams to adjourn. All votes were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:17.
These minutes were accepted as corrected at the meeting held on August 8, 2011. Corrections have been made.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan P. Mooney
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