Town of Hinesburg: Town Forest Committee

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Town Forest Committee
– January 26th Town Forum Follow Up Message – Thank you to those of you who attended the January 26, 2011 forum at the Town Hall. We appreciate your comments and feedback and are now in the process of discussing priorities, issues, and strategies for protecting the long-term health of the Town Forest and the many benefits to our community. We will continue to move forward with crafting a management plan that will work toward achieving the vision and goals we shared at the forum and that are listed at the bottom of this page. If you would like to receive email updates on our progress or have any comments or questions, please contact us at townforest@hinesburg.org.

The Mission of The Hinesburg Town Forest Committee is established for the purpose of providing stewardship for both the 837-acre Hinesburg Town Forest (HTF) and the 301-acre LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest (LHTF). The Committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Selectboard, Commissions, or Town staff as appropriate in matters relating to the HTF and LHTF, and in consultation with the Chittenden County Forester shall make recommendations to the Selectboard for management of the Town Forests. To accomplish this mission the Committee will work to: Implement the LHTF Management Plan, as adopted by the Selectboard on December 7, 2009 with any plan updates thereafter. Create and implement a comprehensive management plan for the HTF. Utilize, as appropriate, existing documents and resources such as the 2006 Vermont PLACE Program Report, extensive management information that has been collected by County Foresters to serve as both a historical record of the forest and a working document to guide decision makers for the future. Consult with key experts to educate the Committee and the public through walks and talks on the HTF land. Experts might include, but are not limited to staff from Vermont Forest, Parks and Recreation; Fish and Wildlife, Audubon Vermont, and Historic Preservation Meet with representatives of various recreational and other interested user-groups in town, including, hunters, ATV users, bicyclists, horseback riders, etc. Submit draft forest management plan to the Selectboard by December 2010. Hold public forums from time to time to educate the broader public about the forests. Coordinate the management of both the LHTF and HTF into the future.
Documents and Links: LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest Town Forest Landscape Inventory & Assessment – 2006 (.pdf) Hinesburg Town Forest Map - 1/10/11 – (.pdf) Hinesburg Town Forest (Map 1) – (.pdf) Drainage Pathways – Hinesburg Town Forest (Map 2) – (.pdf) Soils – Hinesburg Town Forest (Map 3) – (.pdf) Hydrology – Hinesburg Town Forest (Map 4) – (.pdf)


Composition and Organization: The Committee shall consist of up to nine (9) Hinesburg community members, appointed by the Selectboard for terms of three years. Initial appointments will be staggered three members appointed for one year terms, three members appointed for two year terms and three members appointed for three year terms). The County Forester shall be asked to serve as an advisor to the Committee. At its organizational meeting, and annually thereafter, the Committee shall elect (by majority vote of those present) a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. The chairperson shall be responsible for establishing an agenda and running the meetings, the vice-chairperson shall be responsible for running the meetings if the chairperson is absent, the secretary shall be responsible for documenting the meetings in the form of public minutes, and the treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a record of any transactions of the committee and filing said record annually with the Town Clerk as a public record of the Town. Time, date and location of the meetings will be publicly posted in the municipality, and meetings are open to the public in accordance with the terms of the open meeting law. The Committee will establish a meeting schedule that is adequate to address the workload, and meets the needs and schedules of the committee members. Regular monthly meetings are suggested. In order to maintain membership in good standing, members are expected to regularly attend Committee meetings. The Committee shall establish a schedule to report annually to the Selectboard, and will contribute reports on a quarterly basis for distribution via the Town’s electronic newsletter.
Hinesburg Town Forest Draft Management Plan Vision Statement The Hinesburg Town Forest, in a rural residential context on Hayden Hill, has an extensive hill farm history and diverse and functioning natural communities and wildlife habitat. It is used by the public as a place for recreation, quiet solitude, demonstration of sustainable forestry, water quality protection, carbon storage, and public education. Management Philosophy The Hinesburg Town Forest will be managed for the benefit of the local community, using a triad approach that designates zones of (1) intensive use, (2) intermediate use, and (3) light duty use and/or reserves. Zones will be formed by matching opportunities present in specific forest sites with potential uses; every site will not support every use. All uses and management must be compatible with sustaining water quality, wildlife habitat, and general ecosystem function and health over the long term. Permitted uses and management will be reviewed and modified as needed based on experience and the best available information. Management Goals The following are the goals of the town of Hinesburg, and its residents for the sustainable management of the Hinesburg Town Forest (HTF). All of the goals are of equal importance, and therefore, do not represent any priority in the order they are presented: Use the forest as a model and example of the value of forests to the community, including promotion of educational and community uses that are compatible with other management goals. Maintain and enhance ecological connections between the HTF and the larger landscape. Allow natural processes to govern the HTF ecosystems and model any active management on these processes to the extent possible. Demonstrate sustainable forestry practices that protect and enhance the ecosystem function and health. Protect and/or enhance habitat for native species, including game and non-game wildlife. Protect and promote the natural and human made elements of historic and environmental significance for educational and cultural purposes. Manage non-commercial, recreational opportunities that are not incompatible with the other management plan goals. Manage the allowed uses of the forest in such a way that they do not adversely affect the rural residential nature of the neighborhood. Protect water quality. Monitor and respond to changes. Maintain the forest in at least its present parcel size and configuration.
Town Forest Committee Meeting Minutes March 2, 2011 February 16, 2011 January 5, 2011 December 1, 2010 November 3, 2010 October 6, 2010 September 1, 2010 July 7, 2010 June 2, 2010 May 13, 2010

Committee Members
Chairperson: Kristen Sharpless Assistant Chairperson: Steve Russell Secretary: Pat Mainer Treasurer: Steve Russell Meetings Held: Every 1st Wednesday of the Month Location: Hinesburg Town Hall Contact: townforest@hinsburg.org

	Term Ends
Wayne Bissonette	1/01/13
Brent Francis	1/01/13
Pat Mainer	1/01/13
Stewart Pierson	1/01/14
Jason Reed	1/01/12
Chuck Reiss	1/01/12
Steve Russell	1/01/12
Brooke Scatchard	1/01/14
Kristen Sharpless	1/01/13

Committee members serve 3-year terms

Town of Hinesburg
Founded 1762