HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-08-05 Town Forest Committee Minutes Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
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Board - Committee - commission - Council: all] HAY j 3 U 9: 13
Town Forest Committee
Date: 2019-08-05 Time: 7 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Kurt Habel, Dan Ford, Rick Wetzler, Thomas Gardiner, Nancy Doktor, Bill
Sullivan
Members - Not Present:
Farrukh Najmi, Michael Bourque
Others Present:
Troop 728 Scout and Leaders
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Bill Sullivan
Topics of Discussion:
• Scout from Troop 728 asked if he could replace about 40-feet of the
boardwalk in the TF that has rotted (out of approximately 120-feet that
was built many years ago using the old design). The committee voted to
support this Eagle project as long as the work is done in accordance with
the Trails Committee boardwalk design. This design will be provided to the
Scout.
Discussion of the site walk conducted on 8/5/19 attended by forester Phil
Benjamin, logger Bill King, D. Ford and W. Sullivan.
o Best time to conduct the work is November to the end of February.
o Feller buncher holds the tree, cuts near base of tree and drops the
tree to the grapple skidder that will bring the tree to the slasher that
has a 60" diameter circular saw. The slasher removes the branches
and cuts the tree into logs.
o Branches, dead trees and small diameter trees will be chipped.
o A good location to locate the slasher would be adjacent to the
Council Ring (in the area with the dead trees that have been
marked for removal).
o Question came up about how to cross the causeway through the
wetland between the compost pile and the Council Ring. Could be
done with crushed stone or timber mats. (Conservation
Commission subsequently said to use temporary mats.)
o The access road just beyond the compost area is rutted. J. Kinsella
said the DPW will repair the road.
o The requirement to follow Massachusetts Prevailing Wage Rates
will discourage some loggers from bidding.
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• Forest Stewardship Grant Program
o There are grants available for town forest improvement programs.
• Town Forest Conference
o K. Hable spoke with Reading Fire Department about the
conference. They were supportive.
o N. Docktor discussed the conference with Town offices.
o The Sherborne TF Conference will be held on 9/14/19.
• Should ask Scouts if they are willing to participate in a buckthorn pulling
project.
• The 6/25/19 meeting minutes were approved.
• Next Meeting: September 3, 2019
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