HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-30 Town Forest Committee Minutes oF>7 .
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Board - Committee Commission - Council:
2018 JUN 25 A 10..57
Town Forest Committee
Date: .2018701-30 Time: 7PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Berger Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose. Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present: _
Rick Wetzler, Kurt Habet, Tom Gardiner, Nancy Docktor, Bill Sullivan
Members- Not Present: - -
Mike Bourque, Dan .Ford, Farrukh Najmi
Others Present:
Paul and Charles Ballou .
Minutes.Respectfully Submitted By: Bill Sullivan
Topics of.Discussion:
Charles Ballou of Wilmington requested.permission to cut down a tree in the Town Forest for
use as.a sail boat mast. Permission to remove a°healthy,standing tree was 'not granted. It
was noted that the DPW has taken some trees-down that were leaning over: The TF
.Committee suggested that Mr. Ballou ask DPW for one'of these trees.
A conferencecall was held with certified forester Mr. Phil-Bar)'
amin regarding planning for a:
pilot program to selectively thin.a distressed area of the-Town Forest in an effort to change
the monoculture to a more natural mixture of trees and plants. Mr. Benjamin noted that --
there are different types of thinning operations ranging. from.hand cutting with chain saws
to mechanized harvestors. Optimaltimeof year, contracting methods and public
participation in the process were also discussed. Mr. Benjamih said he will prepare a draft
plan for the committee's use in planning this pilot program.
Some communities and the.National Park Service have hired.,goats.to control. invasive
plants..The goats are enclosed within an electrified fence. They will eat everything including
both the invasive buckthorn-but also.blueberry bushes.A representative of Goats to-Go.
offered to attend a future TFC meeting.to discuss the potential of bringing goats to an area
of the Town Forest.
A professional dog walker told a member of the TFC.that she is concerned-about the lack of
control excercised by some-other dog walkers over the dogs that they are bringing into the .
Town Forest. The TFC agreed that we should increase our efforts to raise awareness of a
dog.walking etiquette i.ncludiing. picking up .dog.waste and keeping.dogs under voice:control.
Rick Wetzler stepped down.as committee chair. The committee-voted Bill Sullivan as the
new TFC chair. The committee thanked Rick Wetzler for his years of service'to the Town
Forest Committee.
The minutes of the 11/30/2017 TFC meeting were approved. The next meeting was
scheduled for 2/20/2018:at 7:00 pm. -
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