Lyme Conservation Commission
Minutes of the 3 November 2003 Meeting
LCC Members Attending – Ben Hudson, Dick Jones, Lee Larson, Laura McDaniel.
LCC Members Absent – Joan Goldburgh, Adair Mulligan.
Members of the Public in Attendance – Judy Barker, Carola Lea, Tom Morrissey.
The Meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Lee Larson.
1. Valley Quest at the Chaffee Sanctuary
Carola Lea was present to represent the Vital Communities organization and discuss their wish to create a “Natural Communities Quest” at the Chaffee Sanctuary. Steve Glazer, Valley Quest Coordinator, had sent the LCC a proposal (see attached) for such a Quest, noting that the Chaffee Sanctuary was an excellent example of an Alder Swamp.
Discussion was held noting that the Quest fit in with the LCC’s Chaffee Sanctuary Management Plan, and also wondering about the possible volume of visitors in such a fragile ecological area.
The LCC moved (Jones/McDaniel) and approved giving the Vital Communities organization permission to set up the Quest for a one year trial period requesting that (a) part of the Quest emphasize the fragile nature of the area and the need to stay on the designated trail; (b) Vital Communities provide some usage figures to the LCC in a year’s time, and (c) the LCC would review this permission next fall and considering extending it at that time.
2. Approval of Minutes from the October 6, 2003 Meeting
The minutes of the October 6, 2003 meeting of the LCC were moved (McDaniel/Hudson) and approved.
3. Old Business
a) Post Pond
(i) Water Level and Beaver Issues Update
Lee reported that he had received many reports of very high water levels in Post Pond, due in part to the beaver dams as well as the extraordinarily wet fall.
The LCC, through Lee, has given permission to Ross McIntyre to dismantle the dams. Ross had gone out on November 1 and opened up 6-8’ on either side of the first dam and reported that the water level was slowly receding. Ross will keep at this activity during the fall as long as the beavers continue to build up the dam, with the goal of lowering the Pond level 1’ (base of Barker’s wall and out of Ross’ boathouse).
The LCC agreed to put the condition on this and all future permissions to dismantle the dams that there had to be a minimum of 2 people present. Lee said he would let Ross know of this new condition.
(ii) Trout Brook / Clay Brook issues; Reports from NRCS and Pathways Engineering
Lee presented a general proposal (task, time and cost estimates) which he had received from the NCRS for a survey of the Trout Brook / Clay Brook watersheds into Post Pond (see attached).
In addition and at the suggestion of Jim Kennedy, Lee had contacted Rod Finley with Pathways Engineering to discuss alternatives to the NCRS survey and the possibility of having the work done soon. As a result of their discussion, Ray proposed starting simply to determine if the likelihood existed that Trout Brook would jump to Clay Brook, and thereby bypass Post Pond in the event of a high water event. Ray said he could have a survey crew on site for a few days to take the necessary sites and then run the information through is modeling specs to determine the relative likelihood of such an event. If it was then determined that it was likely that Trout Brook would jump to Clay Brook and bypass Post Pond during a high water event, then the LCC could decided to go ahead with further
survey or study work. Pathways could take the survey sites before winter and provide results soon there after.
The estimated cost of the Pathways work is $5,000. Dick noted that the LCC could vote (vs. the Selectmen) to expend these funds without need for public hearing. It was also discussed that written permission would need to be received from the landowners affected and the LCC agreed to seek these permissions, rather than have Pathways do this work, and therefore incur the cost.
It was moved (Jones/Hudson) and approved to spend the $5,000 as noted above.
b) Chaffee Sanctuary Management Plan Review
Discussion of the revised Chaffee Sanctuary Management Plan was tabled until the next meeting.
b) Boundary Line Painting
Ben, Lee and Laura agreed to meet on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30AM to mark the remaining section of the new part of the Town Forest.
c) New LCC Member
Lee reported that Paul Klee had been nominated to the Selectmen to take Aaron Rich’s place on the LCC and that the nomination had been approved. Paul will be available to attend meetings starting in January, 2004.
4. Wetlands
a) Stam Pond project
The question up for discussion regarding this project is whether or not it is functioning the way it should and the way it was approved. Those present reviewed both the site plan and photo recently taken by Dick.
Overall, the LCC was very distressed at the condition of the project during the recent heavy rains and left that it was not in accordance with the plan and not working properly. Further the LCC felt strongly that a DES site visit was in order.
It was decided that Ben would call his contact at the DES, Vanessa, to seek her advice, to express our frustration with the assigned inspector’s responsiveness, and to ask for an official DES evaluation. If need be, some member of the LCC would travel to the DES office and request a hearing.
b) Bret Ryan’s stream bank restoration project
Lee reported that this project had been approved.
5. New Business
a) Stiff Gentians along River Road
Lee noted that a knowledgeable and concerned citizen had written to him expressing her concern that the Stiff Gentians located on River Road south of Grant Brook, had been mowed by the Town. The land in question is owned by the Upper Valley Land Trust and the NH Audubon Society has management responsibility.
Much discussion followed. Dick noted that the mowers are available to the Town only during a specific period on the year and so the mowing along the roads was limited to that time frame and that clearly the life cycle of the plant was being affected by the timing of the mowing. Suggestions included “do not mow” signs; hand mowing (despite the steep banking); and/or the addition of a fence section to prevent access by the mowers. No conclusion was reached, although Lee agreed to call Jeannie McIntyre at UVLT to discuss the issue with her.
b) Maintenance expenditures
Lee reminded the Commission members that the LCC had received an anonymous grant for $750 following this year’s Town Meeting at which the Selectmen turn down the LCC request for maintenance funds.
To date, the following has been spent from this fund:
Hemlock puncheons $166
Big Rock Preserve sign $150
Lee proposed spending the following:
Reimbursement for boundary paint $50
Trail markers / nails for
new Town Forest Trail section $175
These expenditures were moved (Jones/McDaniel) and approved.
Discussion was held as if and how to spend the remaining $185. It was moved (Hudson/Jones) and approved that additional puncheons are needed at the Chaffee Sanctuary and Ben agreed to purchase 300’ of 2x8 hemlock for this purpose.
c) Moose Plate Grant Proposal
This fund provides grants from the monies available through the purchase of the State of NH Conservation license plates (“Moose Plates”). This year approximately $240,000 is available and applications are being sought for under $5,000 and over $5,000. After discussion of possible ideas for a grant application, Ben volunteered to draft a grant for funds to support the Trout Brook/Clay Brook survey project (see above). Suggestion for future grant proposals to this fund included the anticipated continuing of the survey work as well as possible beaver pipes for Post Pond.
6. Other Business
Judy Barker presented her concern (along with accompanying photos taken last week) that the Lyme Town Beach was eroding into Post Pond, and wanted the LCC to be aware of this issue due to the high water level, which Judy attributed directly to the beaver dams. She also wanted to be sure that the LCC (and the appropriate town department) was alerted to the fact that any addition of sand to the beach would require a permit from DES. Judy had contacted DES and they had no such permit on record (past or present).
Ben expressed his opinion that he was reluctant to state that the high water level was attributable solely to the beaver dams, noting the wet summer and fall that we experienced, as well as other environmental issues. He noted that, but requesting the Trout Brook/Clay Brook survey (see above), that the LCC was collecting further input into the reasons for the Post Pond water level.
Lee asked if the Recreation Commission had been alerted to the high water level at the beach. Lee also noted that the application process through DES would require a 6-month review period and that it would behoove the responsible town department to start working on the permit process now if they intended to add sand to the beach in the spring. Dick agreed to pass along this discussion to the Recreation Commission.
7. Publicity
There were no suggestions for publicity at this time and those present decided to skip the next issue of the Lyme Church Newsletter.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Laura McDaniel
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