HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04-18 Town Forest Committee Minutes MINUTES - :C
Reading Town Forest Committee
Arnold Berger Room,7:00 PM
April 18,2013 Jill NUV 13 PN 6: 30
Present:Patrice Todisco,Mike deBrigard,Terry Selle,Mark Wetzel,Rick Wetzler,Kim
Honetschlager. Numerous visitors,we attached sign in sheet.
Call to Order
The meeting opened at 7:00 PM.
1. Girl Scout Grace Stroman presented her Gold Award project proposal-Clearing and Blazing
a New Tmil Entrance to Town Forest Off of Sunset Rock Lane.A written proposal was handed out.
Discussed coordinating with and assistance fro DPW in initial grading.deBrigard to coordinate.
Project will begin in June. Wetzel made motion to accept proposal,second by Salle,Vote
unanimous.
2. Boy Scout Chris Guyott(Troop 704)presented his proposal for Eagle project-Wood Duck
Nesting Boxes.A written proposal was handed out.Project involves construction and installation of
approximately 3 to 6 wood duck nesting boxes installed near the Ipswich River in the eastern end of
TF. After presentation and discussion,Wetzel moved to accept proposal,Todisco seconded and vote
was unanimous.
3. Reviewed proposed Town Forest Rules—Draft.
a) Included modifications marked in red. Kim H explained some of the modifications and
reasoning. Some of edits were for consistency.
b) Discussed permits and requirements
C) Discussed fees-Wetzel to investigate
d) Discussed legal/statutory requirements,work approval authority(Trails Committee)
4. Public comment
a) Rules appear to limit use by youth groups-What is TFC trying to accomplish by
restricting group size?
b) Fees may discourage use
C) Question on Port-Potti and clean-up responsibility if spill occurs
d) Mary Ellen ONeill-Recommended Rule 4 include tree removal.Discussed her
experience with large camping group and recommended low impact uses,not allow generators;
discussed Rule 14—should require picking up dog poop,consider leash zones
e) Will Finch-Discussed DPW taking over oversight of TF;permits will better allow
tracking of use;camping should have boundary areas;Rule 8—duck hunting is allowed on river by
boat
f) Bill Sullivan—Troop 702 has a tradition of camping at Scrub Oak Hill;restriction of 20
campers will not allow scout troops to camp in TF
g) Gina Snyder—Need to limit car use in TF;limit the number of dogs allowed off leash per
walked-3 was suggested.
h) Mike Brothers(Troop 702)questioned the number of rules compared to the
recommendations in the TF Plan,asked for TFC to explain
i) Rick Wetzler suggested Boy Scouts and other groups review and comment on Camping
Rules
Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.
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Clearing and Blazing of a New Entrance Trail to the Town Forest
Off of Sunset Rock Lane Proposal
PARKING
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PARKING
Purpose:
o To clear and blaze a new entrance trail(approx. 150 feet) in the Town Forest which is more
visible and accessible to the public in the middle of June,2013
Requirements:
o Power tools provided by the Trail Committee
o Trails committee will donate material for the entrance sign(to be placed at the black dot)
o Volunteer:will clear brush
o Refreshments and snacks will be donated the day of clearing
o Department of Public Works will hopefully level the slope before entering the trail
o Girl Scout Activity Insurance: approx. $5
Safety:
o Volunteers will be debriefed on what to wear and bring to the day of the clearing and will also
learn about ticks and poison ivy
o Trail Committee members will be the only ones able to use the power tools
o First aid kit and first aider will be on hand
Parkingfor volunteers and walkers:
o Sunset Rock Lane Cul-de-sac will be used for drop off and more parking in Wood End
Elementary School Parking Lot
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Mergence to existing entrance trail Existing entrance trail with sign
Condition of Surrounding Trails
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Tree across trail Potentially dangerous trees
NOW-
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Another tree on trail A huge,beautiful pine on loop nearby
Wood Duck Nesting Boxes
Chris Guyott- Eagle Project
Troop 704
Background
Wood ducks are about 19 inches in length. They have a wingspan of about 28-39 inches.
Wood ducks alter their diet throughout their lives.As juveniles,they eat a lot of invertebrates
and occasionally a small fish.As they near maturity,wood ducks switch to a diet more focused
on plants. They eat seeds,nuts and plant matter. Wood ducks will also eat aquatic and land
invertebrates.
Wood ducks typically do not live past the age of 4 in the wild. They have a high mortality rate,
especially when young. Wood ducks in captivity have the potential to live well into their teens.
Wood ducks can be found in ponds, lakes, marshes and along rivers and streams. They prefer
areas that have a mix of water habitats and forests.
Wood ducks live year-round in the Southeast and along the Pacific Coast. The highest population
is along the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast south of New Jersey. In the summer months,many
wood ducks migrate north to cooler climates. In the summer,wood ducks can be seen in every
state east of the Rocky Mountains and throughout the Pacific Northwest
Wood ducks pair up in late winter and they begin breeding in early spring. The males attract
females with their call and attractive,colorful breeding plumage.
After the pair breed,they build a nest in the cavity of a tree. The cavity can be natural or a hole
abandoned by a woodpecker. They prefer trees that overhang water or are close to a water
source. Trees with cavities are becoming rarer and rarer with wetland loss and competition from
other species, If they cannot find a tree cavity,wood ducks will readily use nest boxes built by
people. Learn how to make a wood duck box and the best location for setting them up:Duck Box
Plans
The nest can have approximately 15 eggs lined with feathers from the female. Sometimes there
will be as few as 6 eggs in the nest and on occasion,as many as 401 A single nest can have over
40 eggs,because some of the eggs were laid by other females. If a female cannot find a nest of
her own,then she will lay her eggs inside another wood duck's nestl
After a few weeks,the eggs hatch. The ducklings are born with feathers and they leave the nest
quickly. The ducklings will not be raised in the nest,but on the water instead. This means that
very young ducklings mustjump out of the high tree cavities onto the ground to make their way
to water. It can be a challenging experience for a newly hatch wood duck!
Construction
I will be using the wood duck nesting box plans recommended by Mass Wildlife(Massachusetts
Department of Fish and Game)(see attached plans at the end of the document).
Rough cut pine is the ideal wood to use for these nesting boxes.Each box will use 4linear feet of
IxIO lumber and 4 linear feet of lxl2 lumber.Each box will contain 4-6 inches of wood
shavings at the bottom of the box. I will not use sawdust as it will suffocate the ducklings. I will
be building a predator guard right onto the box(as per the plans).
The total cost for each box will be approximately$114.00
• $38.00-4'x 10"and 4'x 12"Rough Cut Pine
• $74.00-U-Channel Post
• $2.00-Screws/Nails/Bolts
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Placement
I plan to mount the boxes on steal U-Channel posts. They will be at the edge of the water or in
shallow water(during the summer,water levels may be considerably lower and high water levels
are what must be considered). The boxes will be 4-6 feet above the ground or water. There
should be no branches obstructing the entrance to the box,and the entry hole to the box should
face the water.
My plan is to put one to two groups of three to five boxes along the Ipswich River in the Town
Forest. If I can raise enou�glr money to buirsix Boxes,then I will do two groups of three.
Otherwise, I will do one group of three, four,or five.
I plan to situate the boxes as indicated by the yellow circles on the map below.
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For an idea of what these locations look like,the bottom yellow circle is located as indicated by
the yellow circle on the picture below.
The upper yellow circle is located as indicated by the yellow circle on the picture below.
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All of the information discussed in this presentation has been taken from the following four
sources:
Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game
htto://www.mass.eov/dfwele/dfw/
Ducks Unlimited
hti4://www.ducks.ore
Missouri Department of Conservation
htto://mdc.mo.gov/
National Wildlife Federation
http://www.nwfore/
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Wood Duck Nesting
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Reading Town Forest Rules DRAFT
A Carry-In, Carry-Out Facility
Effective Date: ? 2013
1. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the Reading Town Forest at no charge from dawn to dusk.
2. Hours of use may be extended for a specific event or use if written permission has been obtained from
the Town Forest Committee for the specific extended time. Applications for the extended time must be
made at least 41-deys48 hours in advance of the event or use. The written permission must be on-site
during the entire event or shall be carried by the person in charge of the event at all times during the
event.
3. Organized commercial or group activities such as nature walks,races,or scavenger hunts require prior
written permission by the Town Forest Committee. Applications for the activity must be made at least
� 21-day-T8 hours in advance of the activity. The written permission must be on-site during the entire
event or shall be carried by the person in charge of the activity at all times during the activity. Group
use is allowed by organized,Reading-based groups,or by groups based outside of Reading if at least
50%of participants are Reading residents. The Town Forest Committee may[ask town counsel?] charge
a fee for such activities.
4. No work of any type shall be carried out in the Town Forest without prior written permission from the
Town Forest Committee. "Work" includes but is not limited to trail clearing,trail maintenance,
excavation,filling,building structures, and posting signs or maps(except on public bulletin boards).
Adopt-A-Trail people...
5. Smoking is prohibited. Fires,BBQ grills,and camp stoves are prohibited except with written
permission. Gasoline stoves are prohibited(or put it in the permission slip). Generators?
6. No person shall cut,break,remove,deface,defile,or ill-use any structure,fence,sign,or map,or have
possession of any part thereof. No plants(including trees, bushes,grasses,or flowers)shall be defaced
or cut. Collecting firewood is prohibited excent with written permission of the Town Forest Committee.
[omit depending on what it says under camping?] Invasive species removal is allowed with permission.
7. Discharge of firearms is prohibited in the Town of Reading, including in the Town Forest. Discharge or
carrying of BB guns,pellet guns,paintball guns,airsoft guns,and similar non-lethal weapons is
prohibited in the Town Forest.
8. No hunting is allowed in the Town Forest. [Hunting is allowed on the Ipswich River which is a Federal
waterway.]
9. The Town Forest is closed to motor-powered vehicles except for vehicles necessary for emergency
response by the Reading Police and Fire Departments, for maintenance of the Town Forest or wells, or
with prior written permission of the Town Forest Committee. Motorized wheelchairs are allowed.
Snowmobiles,ATVs and other off-road vehicles are prohibited.
10. Responsible bicycle use is allowed in the Town Forest. The Town Forest Committee may close trails to
bicycle use temporarily, seasonally,or permanently to prevent overuse or to protect natural resources.
11. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Glass containers for any purpose are prohibited in the Town Forest.
12. Dumping, littering,filling or any other deposition of imported materials,including but not limited to
garbage,debris,earth, leaves or brash is prohibited in the Town Forest.
13. Users must carry out everything that they carry in.
atarzot3dre
14. Dogs may enter the Town Forest provided that they are accompanied by and under the effective voice
control of some person. No person may walk more than three does unless dogs are leashed.—The person
accompanying the dog shall promptly remove feces deposited by the dog in the Town Forest. Dogs must
be leashed within 200 feet of paved roads or parking areas.
15. Violations of these rules and regulations may be punished by fines up to$100 per violation under
Massachusetts General Laws,Chapter 40, Section 8C,which is administered by the Reading Police and
Fire Departments.
16. Camping,Cook-outs,and group use of the Council Ring.
16.1. Group use of the Town Forest must be consistent with its primary purpose as a forest reserve
dedicated to the protection of plants,animals,and the natural environment and with the enjoyment
of the out of doors. The Town Forest is a place of quiet contemplation,nature study,and passive
recreational use. Group use must not inconvenience or endanger other Town Forest users. [make
this a vision statement,not a rule?]
16.2. Camping and cookouts are allowed at the"council ring"only.
16.3. Camping,cookouts,and group use of the council ring are allowed with prior written
permission by the Town Forest Committee. Applications must be made at least 10 days in advance.
The written permission must be on-site during the entire event.
16.4. Group use is allowed by organized,Reading-based groups,or by groups based outside of
Reading if at least 50%of participants are Reading residents.
16.5. The Town Forest Committee may impose a limit on the number of events held by any one
group to equitably allocate use of the council ring.
16.6. The Town Forest Committee may charge fees for camping,cook-outs,and group use of the
council ring.
16.7. No more than 20 individuals may participate in the event(at any one time).
16.8. No more than two support vehicles may be on-site at any time.
16.9. Parking of support vehicles at the council ring shall be in designated areas or on roads.
16.10. The Town Forest Committee may designate which roads are used to access the council ring.
Support vehicles are not allowed on roads beyond the council ring. Vehicle speed must not exceed
15 miles per hour.
16.11. A portable toilet must be on site for overnight use of the council ring. It must be removed
within four days of the event.
16.12. No firewood may be collected within the Town Forest without written permission of the
Town Forest Committee. Firewood may not be brought into the Town Forest from outside of
Reading. Users are encouraged to collect wood from the Town Compost consistent with Town
regulations.
16.13. The Fire Chief may prohibit fires,BBQ grills, and camp stoves for specific periods of time.
16.14. Any deviation from the rules above(e.g.camping location,number of individuals,or number
of vehicles)must be approved by a vote of the Town Forest Committee.
16.15. Violation of any Town Forest rule or violation of conditions imposed for group use may
result in denial of future use of the council ring by that group.
4182013 dm