HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-08 Town Forest Committee Minutes�+ rxr+•
Town of Reading RECEIVED °
Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK=
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Board - Committee - Commission - council: 2025 OCT -7 AM 7, 54
Town Forest Committee
Date: 2025-9-8 Time: 6:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Berger Room
Address:
Purpose: Town Forest Management Session:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jeff Lamson, Christine Lusk, Brandy Hopkins,Kathy Kelly, Derek Puff, Dave
Flynn, Tim Kirwan
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Chris Cole and Mike Kessman, Karen Rose Gillis, Charles Tirone
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Brandy Hopkins
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting was held in -person and by video conference
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:OOPM by Jeff Lamson
Review and Approval of Agenda
The agenda was reviewed and accepted as presented.
TOPICS OF DISCUSSION
1. Review progress of invasive plant removal and scheduling of a community buckthorn
management project proposal
• MikeKessman- wentforquotesforfurtherremoval- walkedthezonesandhad
missed some areas - Parterre has agreed to come back and do further work
• Gagnon will be coming back as well and will be going over areas to review work
• Discussion on future areas to pull on volunteer days -trying to find a certified
herbicide expert to come in and dab during volunteer days; discussion on
possible problems of the herbicide and letting the public know it's happening
• Ask for amendment to Conservation commission to current work to add this new
area
Motion: Christine: Motion to approve and not exceed $800 for application of herbicide expert
Brandy: Seconded
Motion passed: Unanimously
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2. Discuss funding request for November Town Meeting
o Review of the slide deck for the meeting
o Discussion of ideas for how to discuss the management of longterm planning
3. Discuss educational programming opportunities + development such as bird walks, plant
identification walks, collaboration with Reading Public Schools, invasive plant pulling,
and historical postings
o Adding QR codes on how to remove buckthorn placed throughout the forest
o Reading and Austin prep are using the town forest as their cross country course
do they want to volunteer for pulling invasives
o Posting Bird Walk flyers
o If you post signs in the Town Forest, be sure to remove them
o Other walk options are asked to be promoted: a procedure doc for hosting
events in the town forest and how to
4. Discuss upcoming town events
o Library event to be staffed by Kathy and other volunteers already signed up
5. Discuss upcoming Massachusetts Town Forest Conference on October 41h in
Middleborough
o All members are invited to attend
6. Review progress of installation of rules & regulations signage
o Mike Kessman: 4 more signposts have be ordered and are ready to be picked up
— Conservation and DPW have agreed on locations for the signs, getting final
approvals for the sign postings and final approvals are being confirmed
o Obsolete sign in the compost center to be removed
7. Review+ approve July meeting minutes
o Motion: Christine Moved to approve the minutes from July
o Derek Seconded
o Unanimously approved
Motion: Brandy moved to approve up to $100 for printing an Ipswich River sign in association
with the Ipswich River association
Christine Seconded
Motion passed: Unanimously
Next meeting: Oct 6'h
ADJOURNMENT
Moved to adjourn: Brandy Hopkins
Seconded: Jeff Lamson
Vote: Unanimous
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
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Meeting adjourned
Minutes prepared by: Brandy Hopkins — Secretary
Date: 10/2/2025
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