06-01-2017 Forest Board Meeting

PRESENT:

David Matthews -Chair of Fairlee Forest Board
Peter Lange – Fairlee Forest Board
Terry Lewis- Fairlee Forest Board
Mitch Phelps- Fairlee Forest Board
Jim O’Donnell- Fairlee Forest Board

Visitor from Friends of Fairlee Forest – Hink Herrick

Meeting called to order at 4:03 PM

APPROVAL OF MINUTES from the 3/2/17 meeting – unanimous

Dave brought the meeting to order and passed around the agenda and a letter about the Rivendell Trail system from John Peaveler, who could not be at the meeting.

Dave suggested that the FFF (Friends of Fairlee Forest) and the RTA (Rivendell Trails Association) get together.  Work on trail marking outside the town forest should be discussed with the select board.  Yellow is good for marking but do not use blue for blazing trees because that is the color that the forester uses for trees that are to be cut during a logging operation.

Hink mentioned that Lynne has some blazing paint.  Hink said the highest priority for the FFF is to provide support to the FFB for road repair and maintenance.  He will contact John Peaveler.

Private land owners can close off their land.

Dave informed the board about an apple tree planting on the second landing on Knox Road, henceforth referred to as Apple Tree Landing that was very successful.  Max Haehnel organized a large group of Scouts from his troop, with a group of troop leaders, parents along with Dave and Roxanne Matthews and Peter Lange representing the FFB to plant 9 trees and put up fencing.  Max met with Markus Bradley to place the trees for best growth and to not interfere with future use of the landing operations.  Max designed a natural fence to protect the trees and used left over and donated supplies to install the trees.  This project was for Max’s Eagle Badge.

Dave is still researching the procedural aspects of using the monies for upkeep that are generated from and in accounts for the town forests.

There was discussion of the land in the town forest that is designated for scout use and the decision was made to wait for interest from the scouts.

Dave updated the board on the successful ‘release and measure’ operation that took place this spring at Chestnut Tree Landing and will take place every year in the future.

Items to be discussed at the September meeting will include the use of gates on access points.

Next meeting will be September 7th, 2017 at 4:00 at the fire station meeting room.

MOTION to adjourn at 4:56 PM passed unanimously.