HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-26 Town Forest Committee Minutes r
Town of Reading RECEIVED
Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK z
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Board - committee - commission - Council: 21121 SLE' 17 AM 9: 02
Town Forest Committee
Date: 2020-05-26 Time: 7 PM
Building: Location:
Address:
Purpose: Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Farrukh Najmi, William Sullivan, Nancy Docktor, Kurt Habel, Thomas
Gardiner
Members - Not Present:
Michael Bourque, Dan Ford, Rick Wetzler
Others Present:
Bob Holmes (Reading Chronicle)
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Farrukh Najmi
Topics of Discussion:
Discussion on Town Forest condition during COVID-19
• A lot of people are using the forest every day. Often-8 cars on Grove Street entrance and 4 in Wood
End lot during the day.
• Trails are not too crowded as many people stay at the field
• Dog poop situation is better but there is still roam for improvement. Need to continue the education
campaign. Kurt's sign at Strout Ave entrance was stolen. He plans to replace it.
• Mike Rogers did a great job with the Buckthorn removal May V
• Hugh Lynch will be planting trees in the next month. No dates fixed yet.
Review and approval of previous meeting minutes
• The fallowing meeting minutes were approved unanimously: Feb 27 2019, Sep 3 2019, Oct 12019,
Dec 112019, Jan 7 2020, Jan 14 2020, March 112020, April 14 2020.Approved minutes can be
submitted to Town Clerk.At this paint TFC is completely caught up with approval of minutes for 2018
through the present.
Discuss plans for the 90th Anniversary Celebration scheduled for 9/26/2020
• Two tracks:
1. Family events track(several animal focused events: Raptors and Reptiles
2. Nature track(preservation, climate change and invasive species removal
• Application for funding was submitted by Nancy on March 12 to Reading Celebration Committee.
Waiting to hear back.
• Kurt will invite Laura Dooley(DCR Service Forester)to next TFC meeting
• There is state money for the event for this year. There may not be any funding next year due to
COVID-19.
• Kurt and Nancy will work to submit application to state for funding
• Kurt presented on History of reading Town Forest at a Webinar(Public Lands Stewardship part of
Open Spaces Conference). He saw an interesting presentation on"controlled bums"
• REI was asked to sponsor but has been quiet since COVID-19. Need to re-engage them
Next Meeting: June 16th, 2020 at 7:00 pm
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