Conservation Commission

PO Box 365

Walpole, New Hampshire  03608

 

August 6, 2007

 

Present:            G. Speed – Chair; M. Galloway, P. Graves, M. Schupack, L. Shelley, D. Watson (late), M.L. Montgomery (alt), P. Palmiotto (alt),

 

Absent:             P. Happ, J. Dion (alt)

 

Others Present: Christa Zacharias

 

Mr. Speed called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.

He called upon alternate member Mrs. Montgomery to sit in for Mr. Happ.

 

Minutes – July 2, 2007:  Mrs. Galloway moved to approve the Minutes of the July 2, 2007, meeting as printed.  Mrs. Montgomery seconded the motion.  With all in favor, the motion was approved.

 

Palmer Property – Valley Road:  Mr. Speed reported that the Permit By Notification for Robert and Margaret Palmer on the Valley Road, as presented by Hal Wilkins at the last meeting, was denied for several reasons.  They will have to re-file with a standard Dredge and Fill application. 

 

Wetlands Permits:  1) The Town of Walpole application for a Wetlands Permit for a culvert on the Old Drewsville Road was denied and will have to be re-filed.  2) Bruce Bickford’s Wetlands Permit was granted to put in some drainage for his fields.

 

Conservation Value Map By Parcel:  Mr. Palmiotto introduced Christa Zacharias, an intern in her last semester at Antioch New England Graduate College, who is going to develop a conservation value map by parcel for the town.  The 2006 Conservation Plan calls for the creation of a Conservation Value map.  The challenge that the Conservation Commission (CC) has is to figure out how to create that map.  The time line is that it be completed within the next two months.

 

Ms. Zacharias advised that the CC can consider many different criteria.  She did a computer presentation on the proposed process and displayed color-coded maps that Marlborough and Peterborough put together for comparisons.  A “Conservation Value Map Criteria Questionnaire” that she developed was distributed for the members to fill out by circling the most important and least important criteria as follows:  1) Water Resources – Aquifers; 2) Water Resources – Shoreline; 3) Water Resources – Flood Plain; 4) Water Resources – Well-head Protection Area; 5) Parcel Size (largest unfragmented block); 6) Parcel’s Proximity to Open Space (using unfragmented habitat scores); 7) Agricultural Value (Actively Farmed; 8) Agricultural Value (Prime Soils); 9) Hillside Protection (slopes > 15%; increasing importance with steeper slopes); 10) Southerly Exposure (greater than 3 acres); 11) Potentially Significant Wildlife Habitat (co-occurrence scores); 12) Wetlands (identified by National Wetlands Inventory data or USF&W); 13) Streams and Ponds (identified by National Wetlands Inventory data or USF&W); 14) Hydric Soils (identified by National Wetlands Inventory data or USF&W); 15) Proximity to Existing Trail System (unsure if data is available); and 16) Unique Landscape Features (vernal pools, fens, seeps, old growth forest, rare and endangered species) (unsure if data is available). 

 

Conservation Commission Meeting – August 6, 2007 – Page 2

 

Duncan Watson came in.               

 

Following completion of the questionnaire the members analyzed the evaluations.  Farmland is important in this town; prime soil and actively farmed land should have a higher value.  There should be a conservation value on the land apart from the ownership.  It was agreed not to use owners’ names on the parcels.  Priorities will be based on the Conservation Plan that was completed last year.  Ms. Zacharias advised that the maps can be up-dated and re-calculated in the future.  She will work with Mr. Palmiotto on the criteria and limitations.  The town does not have a map of recreation trails.  Mrs. Galloway felt there might be a way to incorporate Class VI roads and trails; a trail map could be developed later. 

 

Ms. Zacharias will work on the mapping, based on the input provided at this meeting, and come back to attend the September meeting.  In the meantime, any communication with questions, suggestions and comments will be via email. 

 

Trails Around Mill Pond:  Mr. Schupack noted that there is a problem with the trails around Mill Pond; some trees are blocking the trails.  Mr. Shelley and Mr. Schupack will meet to walk the trails and look at the area.    

 

Mason Forest:  Mr. Schupack asked if the logging project is still going to occur in the Mason Forest.  Mr. Speed will contact the Board of Selectmen about access and contact Mr. Rhoades to work on a schedule for the project.

 

Monadnock Conservancy:  Mrs. Montgomery will check with the Monadnock Conservancy to see if they are still planning to remove abandoned items on the Sawyer property.  Mr. Speed felt it would probably not be done until October or November because of the plantings. 

 

Next Meeting:  The next meeting would normally be held on Monday, September 3rd, Labor Day.  Since Ms. Zacharias and several CC members would be unable to attend, there was a general consensus that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday, September 4th.   

 

Mr. Speed adjourned this meeting at 9:00 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

 

 

(Note:  These are unapproved minutes.  Corrections, if necessary, may be found in the minutes of the September 4th, 2007, Conservation Commission meeting.)