Conservation Commission

Conservation Commission Minutes, 3.16.2023

Draft Minutes

Commission members present: Linda Hecker, Linda Lembke, Steve Soszynski, Bill Jewell, Susan Bonthron, Anne Montgomery, Karen Murphy

No agenda changes were made.

The minutes from February 16, 2023 were accepted unanimously.

Commission officers nominated and elected were:
Linda Hecker Chair
Bill Jewell Vice Chair
Karen Murphy Clerk/Treasurer

Open Meeting Law update:
Fully remote meetings have been extended until February 2024.

File Storage:
Appropriate files that are stored on members’ computers will be uploaded to the town server.

We discussed the upcoming presentation by Sam Schneski on April 20 from 7-8:30 at the BBCC. Details of announcements and tech arrangements were made.

Natural Resources Inventory:
Leslie Malouin will be helping with the web designed pages soon. There is a working group working on editing, and proof reading.

Wildlife Crossing signs:
Contact will be made with Dan Zumbruski about permanent wildlife crossing signs.
Seasonal signs, i.e. salamander crossing, are temporary.

The commission received a request to support an Invasives Day petition to the state and after discussion agreed that it was too vague.

Other business:
The legislature is voting this week on supporting the 30 by 30 effort.
We talked about sponsoring trail cams at the Guilford Central School. Jimmy Karlan would like to work with the fifth grade on this project.
The next agenda will include discussion of critical conservation planning and working with other conservation organizations.

Meeting adjourned at 6:40. The next meeting is on April 20 at the BBCC.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Murphy, Clerk
Guilford Conservation Commission

Conservation_Minutes_2.16.2023 Draft

Attending: Linda Hecker, Linda Lembke, Steve Soszynski, Susan Bonthron, Anne Montgomery, Bill Jewell, Bevan Quinn, Karen Murphy
Not attending: Marli Rabinowitz

Meeting called to order at 5:30 via Zoom.
There were no changes to the agenda.
The minutes from January 19 and 26^th were unanimously accepted.

Town meeting:
We plan on staffing a table at the meeting with information about the Emerald Ash Borer.

We confirmed the presentation by Sam Schneski on April 20th from 7-8:30 at the BBCC. He will be speaking to the new changes to the Current Use Program.

We have plans to circulate information about the Emerald Ash Borer as it has been identified in Guilford.

The NRI report is complete in draft form. Several board members will be working on finalizing the report. We hope to be able to present it sometime this summer at the BBCC as well as on the newly designed web site. 

We had a discussion about the town’s Rules and Procedures that were circulated by the select board. 

A tentative plan to install both permanent and temporary wildlife crossing signs will be presented to the select board for approval. 

Guilford Cares walks:
Last year GC sponsored several walks that were well attended. We brainstormed several walks that might be of interest and will be led by a GCC board member.

IPads: We hope to keep them at the town office. 

Linda Lembke showed us a new map, developed by Jeff Nugent, entitled Mountains of Windham County, Vermont.

New business:
AVCC Tiny Grant available.
A new town administrator has been hired. 

Next meeting is March 16 at 5:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Murphy, Clerk  
Guilford Conservation Commission

Conservation_Minutes_1.26.2023  Draft

Attending via Zoom: Linda Hecker, Linda Lembke, Susan Bonthron, Steve Soszynski, Anne Montgomery, Karen Murphy
Not attending: Bill Jewell, Marli Rabinowitz, Bevan Quinn

Public: Patti Smith

Meeting called to order at 5 PM. 

NRI inventory
Patti Smith gave us a report of her NRI inventory. She presented the report as a screen share so that we could have a close look at her findings. It is a well laid out document accompanied with maps, charts, and photos. The GCC will be including an introductory statement. The inventory will be digital and allow for further additions as they occur. It also includes conservation considerations which are not only helpful for the future of our natural heritage but also align in many ways with the town plan.

Next steps include working with a web designer to add the report to the town web site. 

The minutes from January 19 were unanimously accepted.

Planning for Winterfest on February 12
The GCC has participated in this Recreation Commission event for the past few years and as long as there is snow will this year as well. Anne Montgomery will lead a snowshoe hike. Snowshoes from the library will be available.

We discussed an upcoming presentation that Sam Schneski will give in Dummerston on a new conservation category in the Current Use Program. This allows landowners participating in the program to set aside acreage for old growth forest regeneration. We will communicate with Sam about presenting this program in Guilford in March or April.

Emerald Ash Borer
The EAB has been identified in Guilford. The GCC has done a complete ash tree inventory in Guilford and distributed educational materials about the insect. The commission will be investigating whether there are any new recommendations to add to the ones already listed.

The next meeting is February 16.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Murphy, Clerk   
Guilford Conservation Commission

Conservation_Minutes – 1.19.2023  Draft

Attending: Linda Hecker, Linda Lembke, Marli Rabinowitz, Steve Soszynski, Anne Montgomery, Karen Murphy

Regional Meeting of Conservation Groups arranged by Margo Ghia from the WRC on January 19 at 6:30 via Zoom. 

Presentation: Climate Change and Land Use

Presenters: Ann Jarda from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and Taylor Newton Regional Planning Program Manager

Conservation Commissions attending: Guilford, Halifax, Westminster, Rockingham, Londonderry, Whitingham, Dummerston

Meeting adjourned at 7:00.

Restfully submitted, 
Karen Murphy, Clerk
Guilford Conservation Commission

Guilford_Minutes_12.15.22 Draft

Attending: Linda Hecker, Linda Lembke, Susan Bonthron, Bill Jewell, Bevan Quinn, Steve Soszynski, Anne Montgomery, Karen Murphy

Not attending: Marli Rabinowitz

Public (WRC):  Chris Campany, Margo Ghia
Planning Commission: Jeanette Tokarz, Julie Holland, Michael Szostak
Selectboard: Zon Eastes

Meeting called to order at 5:30 via Zoom.

Chris Campany from the Windham Regional Commission presented “Planning for Resiliency and Collaboration between Conservation and Planning Commissions.” 

He presented three “pillars” for  planning for resilient communities:

1. Compact settlements
2. Hazard mitigation and adaptation
3. Habitat connectivity

His presentation included specific explanations of the above three and also allowed time for questions.  His information will be helpful in strategic planning for the future. Jeannette noted that, using ARPA funds, the Planning Commission has hired a consulting firm, Dubois & King to help with strategic planning. 

Bevan Quinn noted that Sweet Pond now has an Abenaki name. It is Amiskwbi which means beaver pond. Sweet Pond is the first Vermont state park to be given an Abenaki name.

NRI update: Pattie Smith has been invited to our January meeting to give us her report.

On motion the minutes from October 20, 2022 were passed unanimously.

Next meeting is January 19 at 5:30 PM. 

Meeting adjourned at 7 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Murphy
Clerk
Guilford Conservation Commission