Otisfield Conservation Committee Meeting
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 – 7pm.
Attendees – Pixie Williams, Lee Dassler, Susan Feller: OCC
Marygrace Barber, Anne Fritts: Friends of OCC
(Approved)
Lee read her minutes from the June meeting and corrections were made. Susan moved to accept, Pixie seconded.
New Business – Lee reported on the Western Foothills Land Trust’s efforts to preserve the Nutting Farmstead. A meeting took place on the site with Maine Preservation, and toured the buildings. Maine Preservation could market the property, seek an appropriate buyer and place easements to maintain the historic facade of the homes and barn. The land would be ideal for an organic farm.
There is a land owner driven interest to create a Pugleyville Conservation Corridor. Mickey Noble, a former state game warden, has knowledge and experience of the Bobcat and Moose populations that pass through the area, and he would like to create a permanent wildlife corridor for them from Thompson Lake to the uplands.
Work continues on the Crooked River easements in the N.W. corner of Otisfield, and the 600 acres down stream on the Harrison side of the river.
Jugtown Plains – Pixie reported on the site walk that occurred on 7/8/11. Nancy Sferra from the Nature Conservancy, David Rodrigues from the Me. Dept. of Conservation, Merle Ring, regional state forester and Hancock Timber representatives attended along with interested parties from Otisfield, Casco and Naples. Pixie and Susan represented the OCC. The walk led through the scarified area and discussion ensued regarding the decline of Pitch Pine in the critical area of the plains and how it might be restored. Pixie read a follow up email from David Rodrigues regarding his thoughts of enclosing the sensitive Pitch Pine area with deer fencing, since deer browse on the seedlings, and asked us for our thoughts on the matter. The consensus was it would be impractical given the potential for vandalism in the area. Pixie also
read her email to Jeff Hall of Hancock Timber, who attended the site walk, and his response. He has set up a website for Jugtown Forest and would welcome any information on the flora and fauna that has been found at Jugtown. Pixie would like Marygrace and Peter Barber to be in charge of a bird list; Pixie will do plants, Susan amphibians and reptiles, and find someone to do mammals. Pixie and Jean Hankins will try to write up a history of Jugtown Plains this winter.
Hiking trails between Moose and Saturday Ponds – Pixie reported that Rick Micklon will have a surveyor mark the boundaries of the town owned land. There are roughly 100 acres in the parcels. The town forester will be invited to the September OCC meeting. Pixie asked Lee to write up a brief report on the benefits of having a town forest for Otisfield, and what funds would be available through grants for creating trails.
Combined Lakes Associations meeting in the fall – Meeting scheduled for November 9th, 7pm at Town Hall. Pixie asked Lee to get a copy of the video of climate change in Maine. If that idea does not work out, other possibilities might be having Maggie Shannon of the Coalition of Lakes or Roy Bouchard speak to the group.
OCC webpage – Pixie will forward the news release from the Jugtown site walk to Tanya for the webpage, along with Asian Longhorned Beetle information. Susan will write a synopsis from the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s report card on the state’s environmental legislation to include on the webpage.
Photos – Susan can put photos she’s taken of OCC activities on a disk for the OCC records. Marygrace will check about a website for sharing photos, and suggested creating a real photo album of prints of the habitats, flora and fauna of Otisfield. Susan said the town should help pay for the printing costs. Pixie suggested asking Scott Vlaun’s advice on this matter.
Other business – Anne reported that one her camp councilors found a considerable number of dead frogs along Rt.121 this morning, from Poplar Ridge Rd. to the top of the hill. Anne will check on it tomorrow morning. Susan provided a brief over view of the White Nose fungal disease that has been devastating bat populations on the east coast, and that the disease has been found in the bats that inhabit old mines in Oxford County.
The meeting adjourned at 9pm. The August meeting has been canceled, next meeting on September 28 when we want to discuss plans for hiking trails on town land between Moose and Saturday Ponds. Plan to host the Friends of Jugtown on October 26th.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Feller, secretary OCC.
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