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OF R ' <br /> Town of Reading <br /> w Meeting Minutes E- <br /> r�G A it T P ��`�j��N C LE R K <br /> f s3901lYCONQ AI i h­ NAM <br /> 3 <br /> Board -Committee Commission - Council: . <br /> 20 � JUtr 25 ARM: 57 <br /> Town Forest Committee <br /> -Date-: 2018=03-20 Time: 7 PM: <br /> Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Berger Room <br /> Address: 16 Lowell Street <br /> Purpose: Town Forest Management; Session: <br /> Attendees: Members - Present: <br /> Rick Wetzler, Mike Bourque, Dan Ford, Kurt Habel, Tom Gardiner, Bill <br /> Sullivan <br /> Members.- Not Present: <br /> Nancy,Docktor, Farrukh Najmi <br /> Others Present: <br /> Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: .Bill Sullivan <br /> Topics of Discussion: <br /> 1. The draft forest management plan prepared by certified forester Phil Benjamin dated. <br /> 2/7/2018 (attached) was discussed. The plan-recommends a thinning operation to <br /> selectively remove between 20 and 25% of the trees in the pilot area. This will allow <br /> sunlight to reach the understory which will stimulate growth of saplings in place of. - <br /> the old unhealthy pines in the limited pilot area. The option of a more aggressive <br /> removal of the red pine trees was not viewed favorably, <br /> 2. The committee,decided that it would be best to identify a proposed area for the pilot <br /> thinning prior to presenting the plan to.Town officials and-the public. It was agreed .. <br /> that"the committee will ask Mr. Benjamin to participate in a conference call at the <br /> April.TFC meeting so the next steps of the plan can,be developed. The committee will <br /> request a proposal from.Mr. Benjamin.for this,work. The committee discussed.the <br /> need to be aware of,protected species and avoiding wetland impacts. The Town's . <br /> conservation agent will be:invited to attend_the site walk. . <br /> 3. The next steps will be developing more details for the pilot thinning program and the <br /> presention of the plan to the ,DPW, Selectmen and at public meetings. It is. unknown <br /> if the funds that.could be generated by the tree harvesting will offset the cost of the . <br /> work. It may be necessary to seek additional funding.from the Town,to conduct the <br /> thinning operation. <br /> 4. Reading Earth Day will :be celebrated at Parket Middle School on April.21st. Several <br /> members of the TFC will participate at the TFC table. <br /> 5. The next meeting was scheduled for April 24, 2018 at 7:00 pm: <br /> Page 1 <br />