Halifax Conservation Commission
P.O. BOX 127, WEST HALIFAX, VT 05358
Regular Meeting, Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 6:30 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83140976854?pwd=dFFkWE1tdk84VjFGc1RZODJvM2NjUT09
Meeting ID: 831 4097 6854, Passcode: 793307, You can dial in using your phone: +1 646 876 9923 US (New York), Or one-tap mobile: +16468769923,,84085362701#,,,,*258796#, Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Dov Towler (member; DT), Laurel Copeland (Clerk; LC), Linda Huebner (LH), Juliet Blackett (JB).
Unable to attend: Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Mary Horne (Member; MH).
CALL TO ORDER at 6:32 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – .
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting Minutes of May 26, 2022 were approved.
NEW BUSINESS
Conservation Commission Membership
Thank you, Jessica Cooney! Your ideas and energy generously donated to the Conservation Commission were greatly appreciated.
Welcome, Mary Horne.
Election of Chair, Clerk, and Treasurer. SC commented that without the potential nominees to treasurer, we might want to wait until more members are present to have the elections.
Update on Culvert Protection at Hatch School Road
LC described the recent changes in the water level caused by the return of beavers, and engaging Patti Smith, Skip Lisle, the Select Board, and the property owners. After getting a preliminary cost estimate ($4000), LC offered to be the guarantor for the costs, Skip put in a flow-control device, the property owners offered to foot a large part of the bill, and both SB member Pete Silverberg and road boss Mike Fournier were updated. The water is now down below the level of the nearest dam.
OLD BUSINESS
Why You Should Care About Invasive Plants in Halifax
Review of revised text on invasive plants – LC has not had time and won’t until January. Leslie sent 2 versions. SC asked about copyright on web-based photos and text. LC proposed she could write to a site from which we wanted to borrow to get permission and commented that her federal work products cannot be copyrighted (it’s already been paid for by the taxpayers so it’s theirs/ours). SC proposed a test run of our materials by posting the draft flyers at the PO and other sites around town and distributing to the school for feedback on the text, photos, and drawings. We could offer personal visits or calls or workshops to identify these 5 plants as well and could have samples of the live plants.
Links to web sites for Barberry, Common Buckthorn, Japanese Knotweed, Asiatic Bittersweet and Wild (Poison) Parsnip
https://concordma.gov/782/Japanese-Barberry-Berberis-Thunbergii
https://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/invasive-plants/common-buckthorn but consider also the native glossy buckthorn: https://www.1854treatyauthority.org/images/IDComparisonsofInvasiveBuckthorn&HoneysuckletoNativePlantsinNEMN.pdf
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/gotpests/weeds/japanese-knotweed.htm
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/wildparsnipfact.pdf
Development of an Ordinance to Regulate Hounding – moved to subsequent meeting when the key persons would be present.
OTHER BUSINESS – None.
HEARING OF VISITORS – LH was given the idea of an interpretive trail identifying the invasives. LH also commented that BEEC seeks an AmeriCorps intern every June-July-August; that person might be able to help with the invasive plants education issue.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:04 pm.