HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-09-18 Town Forest Committee Minutes 0i 4 40
Town of Reading
r e Meeting Minutes
LCLIVEG
_IWN CLERK
;.ICING. MASS.
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Town Forest Committee 2414 JAN 21 A11: 34
Date: 2013-P-06,0q-0 Time: 7 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Board of Selectmen Room
Address:
Purpose: Town Forest Use-- Including Refinement of Camping Regulations
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jennifer Driscoll, Tom Gardiner, Kurt Habel, Farrukh Najmi, Terry Salle, Bill
Sullivan, Rick Wetzler
Members - Not Present:
Mike DeBrigard, Kendal Stackhouse
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Rick Wetzler
Topics of Discussion:
time 1) Eagle Scout Projects
Initiatives presented by three local Eagle Scout candidates involve RTF, either as
actual site or as means of access.
* The first involves a series of wood duck nest boxes, established on the Ipswich
River by Chris Guyott. He provided design specifications to the Committee last year.
At the present meeting, the project was endorsed by his advisor and received the
Committee's approval by unanimous voice vote.
* The second project involves a proposed array of sturdy plaques which would
Identify nearby plant species of interest within RTF. Following discussion of materials
and construction, the Committee's questions focused on criteria for plant selection,
botanical nomenclature, and "springboard effects"that might enable later expansion
of the project by others, so that a modern, full-Fledged nature trail might be
developed for public use. The committee will be apprised of further progress as it
occurs
* The third project is still being conceptualized, so Committee discussion provided
early-phase feedback on considerations for an Ipswich River-based bird blind, or,
alternatively, an observation platform.
T) Signage
* Grace Strohman, whose "Getting to Know Your Backyard" booklet profiles RTF
among Reading's other preserved sites, has volunteered to build a sign for access to
RTF from the Wood End School parking lot. It was recommended that she use the
existing format for Town Conservation sites, such as used nearby at Kurchian Woods.
* To alert other users, including dog-walkers, it was suggested that a sign be created
® for use when large groups, such as Boy Scout troops, are present. Posting this at
main access points, such as the compost area (e.g. via a slat that would be Inserted
into the access sign) might minimize conflicts, particularly if it specifies:
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Town of Reading - Meeting Minutes
* which RTF area(s) is (are) occupied by a given large group,
* the dates of this use, and
* a possible alert that dogs be leashed when passing through these areas.
3) Potentially requiring large groups using RTF to have local majority
To help preserve RTF for current and future use by Readingites, should large groups
accessing the Forest be comprised by at least 50% fellow citizens?
Conversely, it was argued that such thresholds would preempt use by outside
educational groups (e.g. past Tufts field trips in conservation led by local resident,
Prof. N.H. Nickerson). Non-profit organizations such as the Mycological Association's
Boston area branch, or MassAudobon (e.g. bird census-takers) would be excluded,
depriving RTF management efforts of useful species occurrence data and expertise.
4) Potential draft guidelines for regulating camping rules
The bulk of the meeting's discussion then focused on revision and simplification of
preceding draft regulations governing camping (appended). It should be emphasized
that this is work-in-progress. One of the group's charges will be separate regulations
from general intentions, which are probably better suited to an accompanying vision
statement.
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