New Town Forest Planning Committee

MINUTES of May 15, 2008

Opening

The meeting of the New Town Forest Planning Committee was called to order at 7:30 pm on May 15, 2008 in the Town Hall by Paul Wieczoreck.

Present

Paul Wieczoreck, Andrea Morgante, Lenore Budd, Matthew Probasco, Kristen Sharpless, Alan Norris.

Absent

Stewart Pierson

Guest

Mike Snyder

Vision

We agreed that we need an over-arching vision that expresses the real purpose we see for this land now and in the future. Given the diversity of the land, it provides tremendous opportunities for education. In addition, the fact that the riparian areas will be managed to return to their natural equilibrium affords an opportunity to study the evolution of the forest system.

Needless to say, this vision needs to be broad enough to relate to the key management goals of protecting the bats, restoring the riparian areas and protecting and enhancing wildlife diversity.

Public Walks/Talks Update

As previously agreed, we will have a series of walks and talks as follows:

Sunday, May 18 – Kristen’s nature walk

Andrea will take notes on any public comments

June 1 – Paul Wieczoreck bird walk

As part of celebration event

Publicity already complete

June 12– 6:30 p.m. Mark LaBarr bird walk

Kristen to talk to Mark re title and focus on management practices for grassland and early successional bird species

Kristen/Susan to prepare posters, Susan to get on Front Porch and town website

July 4 – Open Walk

? to contact Rec. Comm. to incorporate into promotion of the 4^th of July celebration

Susan to produce flyer to hand out of upcoming events

Andrea to explore children’s float

June 4 deadline for June 28 Record publication

July or August – April Moulart or Dori Barton with Mike Kline to talk about wetlands and river restoration

Andrea to contact and set date

Note: August 6 deadline for August 30 Record publication

Early August – Scott Darling and Mike Snyder on bat habitat and forest management

Sept 20 or Oct 4 – Mike Snyder to talk on the “Forest as the Integrator”

This forum to be publicized at the same time as the public forum for comment on plan draft.

Mid Oct – Public Forum

Name

Mike Snyder suggested that we might incorporate “LaPlatte” into the name.

Vision and Plan Draft Action Steps

Kristen will take a first crack at drafting a vision statement.

Matthew will pull together the existing easement and other documents and begin a first draft of the body of the plan.

The group agreed they wanted Mike to draft the forestry sections of the document.

Next Meeting

May 29, 2008

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted by Susan Mead