HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-09-27 Town Forest Committee MinutesTown of Reading
Meeting Minutes
RECEIVED
TOWN CLERK
READING, MA.
ITL_
2022 DEC —I AM 8: 13
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Town Forest Committee
Date: 2022-09-27 Time: 7 PM
Building: Location:
Address:
Purpose: Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Tim Kirwan, Jeff Lamson, Susan Bowe, Tom Gardiner, BIII Sullivan
Members - Not Present:
Nancy Dockter, Bill Hughes, Kurt Habel
Others Present:
Jane Kinsale, DPW; Martha Moore, Conservation; Steven Cool
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Bill Sullivan
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting was held by video conference due to the COVID pandemic.
• Discussed Phase 3 of the dead tree removal. TFC will seek approval from Reading
Conservation Commission of the Forest Cutting Plan (FCP) at the 9/28/22 ConCom
meeting. DCR approved the FCP. An application for a grant was submitted to DCR as
was done last year.
• Discussed native plants for Area 3. Jeff and Susan replaced the soil in the native plant
pots that were intended for Area 3 as they may have been exposed to Asian jumping
worms. Jeff made a motion to reverse the discission made at the July meeting to not
plant these plants in Area 3 until 2023. His motion was to plant these plants in Area 3
this fall after a solution of water and mustard seed is poured into the pots (method to
bring adult jumping worms to the top) and dumping the soil out and conducting a visual
inspection of the soil for adult worms. If no worms are found, they will be planted in Area
3. Susan seconded the motion. The committee voted three in favor and two opposed to
planting these plants in the fall of 2022.
• Discussed signs posted by the Town restricting access of dogs to water in the TF due to
suspected poor water quality due to the on-going drought. No testing has been done to
confirm the presence of cyanobacteria.
• S. Cool requested the installation of a water station at the Strout Ave field. DPW plans to
install one this fall or next spring.
• Discussed when TFC meetings should be held in-person. Decision was to keep the
meetings virtual for the near future, particularly with winter coming. May hold hybrid
meetings (virtual and in-person) in the future.
• Voted to approve the minutes from the 7/12/22 meeting.
• Next Meeting: scheduled for 10/18/22 at 7:00 pm
Page I 1