MINUTES

 

TORBAY ENVIRONMENT & TRAILS COMMITTEE

 

Thursday, May 6th, 2010, Kinsmen Center

 

 

Present: Helen Spencer, Madeleine Florent, Gerri Labrie, Sylvia Warkentin

Regrets: Terry Sanford, Myra Maynard

 

 

1.         Approval of agenda and minutes of last meeting. (April 1, 2010)

 

            Agenda and minutes were reviewed and approved.

 

 

2.         Business Arising/Update

 

Torbay Tree Day, May 30, 2010.

 

            2000 seedling trees have arrived and are at Helen Spencer’s yard. The seedlings are mostly White Spruce, but there are also some Black Spruce as well as some Red Pine. Helen and Ross Traverse have visited and determined potential sites (Veterans Memorial, Parish Hall, ballfield, Price-Chopper, lawn care company) for plantings. Permissions from varies locations are pending. Helen has contacted various groups to aid in planting. The Kinsmen center has been booked for the afternoon of May 30th and Gerri offered to stay at the Kinsmen center while other committee members aid in planting(s) if needed. Printed information to distribute along with the seedlings is supposed to written by Ross.

 

ACTION:       

 

Helen: will follow up with Geoff Gallant and the Parish Hall regarding permissions

Gerri: to contact lawn care company

Sylvia: to contact Price Chopper

Sylvia: to contact the town about putting tree day info on sign in front of town hall

 

            Bird ID Presentation

 

            Helen has arranged for a Backyard Bird Identification presentation by photographers and natural history enthusiasts, Judith Blakeley and Helen Jones. The presentation is to be held at the Fire Hall meeting Room (behind the Town Hall) on Thursday May 13th at 7.30pm. Bird and flower hike to follow at a future date.

 

            ACTION:

 

Sylvia: to contact town about putting presentation info on sign in front of town hall.

 

 

3.         E.H.J.V. Management Plan

 

            A meeting was held at Sylvia’s home and the suggested changes and additions to the plan will be presented to the town council in our meeting with them on Monday, May10 at 5:30pm. There were some questions raised regarding attendance, length of meeting and format of presentation. Helen, Madeleine, Sylvia to attend.

 

4.         Clean-up of river by the beach.

 

            Discussion was had about when to conduct a clean-up and whether to clean up in the water itself (potentially disturbing spawning beds) or just around the river and further up. It was decided this clean-up should ideally be done to coincide with the town’s environment/clean-up week, possibly June 5.

 

            ACTION:

 

Gerri: to contact interested people on Lower str. to become involved in the clean-up

Gerri: to contact Terry Fleet regarding issues surrounding cleaning-up in the river itself

Madeleine: to contact town regarding timing of clean-up week

 

5.         Rock Garden

 

            The Rock Garden sub-committee had a meeting recently with some new members attending. Clean-up was done on the rock-garden and planning has begun on further plantings.

 

6.         Hikes

 

            It was determined that earlier promotion with specifics relating to where the hikes will be taking place may aid in increased attendance. Last Sunday’s hike (May 2) had 5 members participating. June’s hike (June 6) will be from Red Head to Stiles Cove; trail conditions permitting. Myra and Sylvia to hike the trail prior to hike day to determine length of time and exact routing.

 

            ACTION:

 

Sylvia: to contact town to remind them to place our hikes on Events Calendar on website.

 

            In Terry’s absence, Madeleine read a draft letter written by Terry regarding better protection of our trails and conservation zones. It was unclear whether he meant the trails and conservation issues being addressed as two separate or one issue. This item was held over next meeting.

 

7.         Western Island Pond

 

            Western Island Pond as officially responded to the town and desires to work with Torbay to conserve areas including Motion & W.I.P. The revise wording in deeds from “no development” to “untouched” to be forwarded to Brian Winter at the town.