HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-22 Town Forest Committee Minutes H OPq
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Town of Reading � � �
Meeting Minutes �- ��:'
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council: � � � ' ' � �� �
Town Forest Committee
Date: 2024-OS-22 Time: 7�D0 PM
Building: ReadingTownHall Location: BergerRoom
Address: i6LowellStreet
Purpose: Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Tim Kirwan, ]eff Lamson, Bill Sullivan, Bill Hughes, Nancy Dock[or
Members - Not Present:
Tom Gartliner
Others Present:
Chris Cole, DPW; Kurt Habel
Minutes Respectfully Submitted 8y: Nancy Docktor
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting was held in-person and by video conference
• Discussed Kurt Habefs request lhat he be permitted to continue to care for Areas 1 and 8 of
the Town Forest including pulling invasive plants and planting native plants. The committee
voted unanimously to authorize Kurt Habel to indefinitely care for Areas 1 and 8 of the Town
Forest and to plant plants from the Massachusetts Native Plant Trust list, unless notified by
the town's Tree Warden that specific plants are not to be planted in the Town Forest. The
committee greatly appreciales the continued work of Kurt Habel.
• Discussed repurposing sign/kiosk from the water treatment plant meadow to the new
parking lot entrance. Chris Cole will see if this is feasible. The parking lot ribbon cutting will
be on 6/13/24. Discussed the possibility that stairs may be added to the slope into the TF.
• Discussed committee member coverage for Friends and Family Day 6/824 at Birch Meadow.
Reviewed plans for display and recruitment.
• Discussed placing a limit on the number of vehicles per event allowed into the forest. The
committee voted unanimously to limit the number of vehicles to a maximum of 5 unless
otherwise approved by the TFC. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Confirmed that more than one group may camp in the TF at the same time as long as the
groups follow established guidelines/rules. The approved sites for group camping are the
Old Council Ring, New Council Ring and Scrub Oak.
• Discussetl that Certified Forester Phil Benjamin will tag trees for cutting as part of phase 4
plan. Approval by DCR and the Reading Conservation Commission are required. Funding
will be sought at the November Town Meeting and from a DCR grant.
• Discussed how to use the remaining ARPA funds of approzimately $9,500. The commi8ee
voted unanimously to use the remaining ARPA funds for invasive plant management along
the trail that was not completed during the November 2023 work and also in Area 4.
• Discussed the three committee vacancies and the open Vice Chair position.
• Meeting minutes for the April TFC meeting were approved unanimously as corrected.
. Next meeting was scheduled for 6/18/24
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