September 2025 Meeting

Sep 16th, 2025 at 7p, Norwich Historical Society (277 Main Street) and over Zoom

Join meeting via Zoom (meeting ID: 966 3633 0827, passcode: 721389).

Agenda

  1. Additional Agenda Items
  2. Public Comments about non-agenda items
  3. ListServe Posts and Other Outreach
  4. Schmidt Bog Management
  5. Melendy Kiosk Updates
  6. Emerald Ash Borer Subcommittee Report
  7. Trails Subcommittee Report
  8. Milt Frye Nature Area Subcommittee Report
  9. Deer Exclusion Plots
  10. Approval of June and August Minutes

Minutes

In Attendance – Lynnwood Andrews, Chris Rimmer, Andy Torkelson, Peg Merrens, Craig Layne, Cody Williams

Meeting commenced at 7:10 pm

Additional Agenda Items - Commission now has a “Puller Bear” for uprooting medium-sized invasive shrubs and saplings.

Public Comments - No public in attendance.

Listserve Posts and Other Outreach - possible upcoming posts include Fall seeding of native wildflowers, tick anxiety, and fall flora.

Schmidt Bog Management - with a neighborhood group still interested management at the bog, the commission will consider recommending that the parcel have a written management plan, including for invasive plants. Dealing with the buckthorn on the parcel may need to involve use of a “buckthorn blaster”.

Melendy Kiosk Updates - the kiosk materials now include a write-up about the UVLT conservation easement that made use of grant funding aimed at connecting bird and wildlife habitats by flyways and riparian vegetation. The value of the floodplain was also a component of the project.

Emerald Ash Borer Subcommittee Report - The committee’s switch to using the Rapid Roadside Ash Inventory tool has thus far identified 328 trees for removal. They expect there to be about 400 candidate trees. They plan to put out a call for bids and choose a provider by November to facilitate winter cutting.

Trails Subcommittee Report - The committee performed a Ballard trail bridge extension in August, to be followed by a new bridge upstream, where a tributary has widened in recent storms, on the 21 September workday. They have made progress for permission to receive donation of a memorial bench on Gile.

Milt Frye Nature Area Subcommittee Report - Wasps have been a problem for school use of gathering spaces, the pavilion and firepit circle. Removal of downed wood, which may be providing cover for nests in those areas, will be pursued.

Deer Exclusion Plots - The plots at Milt Frye Nature Area, Parcel 5, Woody Adams Conservation Forest, and Brookmead are showing protection of plants deer prefer to eat, spring-sampled flora, summer-sampled, and total plants by the exclosures compared to control areas outside of the exclosures. Deer browsing pressure is high in our area, a fact recognized by the state as evidence by their increased issuance of doe tags.

Approval of August Draft Minutes - August minutes were moved for approval by Chris Rimmer, seconded by Lynnwood Andrerws, and approved unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm

Minutes submitted by C. Layne