Mar
2
2017

03-02-2017 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
  • ABSENT: Jim O’Donnell- Fairlee Forest Board
  • Town Forester- Markus Bradley

Meeting called to order at 4:02 PM

APPROVAL OF MINUTES from the 9/1/16 meeting – unanimous

UPDATE FROM MARKUS BRADLEY-

Markus is in contact with Rachel Sanders, sophomore science teacher at Rivendell High School. Waiting to hear if they will agree to take on the tasks of measuring tree growth and release maintenance of the chestnut trees. It will amount to about a half day of work. Data on the trees needs to be done in years one, three and five. Markus will follow up.

The next possible forest work will be done in stand 15 and 13, most likely to be for habitat improvement because the market for chips is so poor at this time. There are some materials left over for planting 9 trees. This location in the town forest is a good location for some clear cutting and stump removal to plant apple trees and create habitat for small animals and birds. The best time to get into the area is late summer and early fall due to the trucking issues. At the next meeting in June Markus will have more information about the market feasibility of doing the work.

There was discussion of getting into a FSC certified wood program to improve our access to the market for wood chips now that the pulp mills have declined so drastically in the region from 15 to 3 mills.

The schedule for the follow up work on Baldtop invasives will be in early September. The intern that worked on the invasives with Markus last year was Charlotte Uden.

David requested that Markus organize the billing to take his fees out prior to submitting the stumpage proceeds.

OVER REACH OF THE SELECTBOARD CHAIR-

Discussion of this item is to be continued at the next meeting. No action taken. David will reconstruct the history of approval by the town on funding and expenditure

Apple trees will be discussed at the June meeting as well.

Next meeting will be the first Thursday in June at 4:00.

MOTION to adjourn at 5:48 PM passed unanimously.