Regular Meeting, Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
Zoom Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=bTRLMCtDdzgrR2NndWV5andxTG0vUT09
Meeting ID: 781 449 0827 Passcode: 123
You can dial in using your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile: +13052241968,,7814490827#,,,,*123# US
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
DRAFT MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Sue Kelly (guest, SK), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:30 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2023 were approved with minor corrections.
NEW BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
Flyers on Invasive Plants in Halifax
Six flyers – 50 copies of each from C&S Printing (Putney Road) for use at events ($35). LC also made a poster about the 6 flyers with QR code & URL going to her webpage where the PDF’s are available.
Cost of 3-page, 2-sided copies from C&S – For mailing; TBD.
Letter to Agency of Natural Recourse (ANR) on Trapping Regulations and Hunting Coyotes with Dogs
Sent; no response.
Conservation Commission Letter to State Representative Roberts
SC did not hear back from Tristan Roberts, so SC contacted him, and they talked. TR apologized for not replying at all but remained noncommittal on the issue. After committee discussion, SC will ask TR to explain the process House Bill 159 is going through. LP did contact the persons on environmental subcommittee as recommended by TR some time ago but did not hear back from them, either.
SC wondered if we should contact the Humane Society of the US (not Windham Humane Society) to ask if they have information about trapping. LH commented that HSUS and local humane societies are unaffiliated, and that Vermont no longer has a representative in HSUS. Local organizations might have better information about trapping in Vermont. LP will ask Joanne Bourbeau of HSUS or Brenna Galdenzi of POW.
MH provided this link to HSUS webpage on hounding bears: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding
BEEC Project entitled Beavers in Halifax and Westminster VT – LH described the beaver education event being held this Saturday afternoon in West Halifax at the Community Hall. After Patti presents for about an hour, the group will go on a field trip to a local beaver pond. Another event will showcase river engineer Denise Burchsted who can talk about hydrology and will meet with our road boss to discuss Halifax road-wetlands issues. As part of the project a Beaver Deceiver (© Skip Lisle) will be constructed at a culvert in order to protect the culvert and to provide an educational opportunity to explain the role and development of a Beaver Deceiver.
OTHER BUSINESS – SC brought up our idea to have Rich Holschuh come to Halifax and speak about Abenaki in the Halifax area. LC commented that some Native American artisans will be in West Halifax on Sept. 9th at the Community Hall, demonstrating techniques; there might be other individuals we could invite if Rich Holschuh is too busy. Dov commented that Rich might be busier now than he was at the beginning of the pandemic when we were trying to schedule this. SC commented that Rich has a perspective that the people are part of the natural system not owners of it, a useful perspective.
HEARING OF VISITORS – FC introduced himself (in Halifax on weekends). NRCS will feature a video he did about the indigenous perspective about a tree release, to be published in August. A mass tree release is when certain trees are selected to be nurtured and become elders. With a forester and Sean Dupuis of Halifax, about 90 trees on his acreage were selected, and the area around the mass trees was cleared to give the mass trees more access to nutrients and sunshine. Selected trees were oak, birch, cherries, pines, firs, and maples.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:13 pm.
Regular Meeting, Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
Zoom Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=bTRLMCtDdzgrR2NndWV5andxTG0vUT09
Meeting ID: 781 449 0827 Passcode: 123
You can dial in using your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile: +13052241968,,7814490827#,,,,*123# US
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Linda Huebner (guest, LH), Sue Kelly (guest, SK), Francisco Cabas (guest, FC).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:30 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – None.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2023 were approved with minor corrections.
NEW BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
Flyers on Invasive Plants in Halifax
Six flyers – 50 copies of each from C&S Printing (Putney Road) for use at events ($35). LC also made a poster about the 6 flyers with QR code & URL going to her webpage where the PDF’s are available.
Cost of 3-page, 2-sided copies from C&S – For mailing; TBD.
Letter to Agency of Natural Recourse (ANR) on Trapping Regulations and Hunting Coyotes with Dogs
Sent; no response.
Conservation Commission Letter to State Representative Roberts
SC did not hear back from Tristan Roberts, so SC contacted him, and they talked. TR apologized for not replying at all but remained noncommittal on the issue. After committee discussion, SC will ask TR to explain the process House Bill 159 is going through. LP did contact the persons on environmental subcommittee as recommended by TR some time ago but did not hear back from them, either.
SC wondered if we should contact the Humane Society of the US (not Windham Humane Society) to ask if they have information about trapping. LH commented that HSUS and local humane societies are unaffiliated, and that Vermont no longer has a representative in HSUS. Local organizations might have better information about trapping in Vermont. LP will ask Joanne Bourbeau of HSUS or Brenna Galdenzi of POW.
MH provided this link to HSUS webpage on hounding bears: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-bear-hounding
BEEC Project entitled Beavers in Halifax and Westminster VT – LH described the beaver education event being held this Saturday afternoon in West Halifax at the Community Hall. After Patti presents for about an hour, the group will go on a field trip to a local beaver pond. Another event will showcase river engineer Denise Burchsted who can talk about hydrology and will meet with our road boss to discuss Halifax road-wetlands issues. As part of the project a Beaver Deceiver (© Skip Lisle) will be constructed at a culvert in order to protect the culvert and to provide an educational opportunity to explain the role and development of a Beaver Deceiver.
OTHER BUSINESS – SC brought up our idea to have Rich Holschuh come to Halifax and speak about Abenaki in the Halifax area. LC commented that some Native American artisans will be in West Halifax on Sept. 9th at the Community Hall, demonstrating techniques; there might be other individuals we could invite if Rich Holschuh is too busy. Dov commented that Rich might be busier now than he was at the beginning of the pandemic when we were trying to schedule this. SC commented that Rich has a perspective that the people are part of the natural system not owners of it, a useful perspective.
HEARING OF VISITORS – FC introduced himself (in Halifax on weekends). NRCS will feature a video he did about the indigenous perspective about a tree release, to be published in August. A mast tree release is when certain trees are selected to be nurtured and become elders. With a forester and Sean Dupuis of Halifax, about 90 trees on his acreage were selected, and the area around the mast trees was cleared to give the mast trees more access to nutrients and sunshine. Selected trees were oak, birch, cherries, pines, firs, and maples.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:13 pm.