MIDDLESEX CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Thursday April 5, 2007
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Middlesex Town Offices
Middlesex, VT

MINUTES


Commissioners Present
x Barry Goodman
  Judy Keyes
  Duncan Nichols
  Rick Paradis
x Dave Shepard
x Scott Gurley


Administrative Operations
Call to order 7:05

Minutes
Guests: Bill Rossmassler, Katy Chabot, Jane Dudley

Treasurer’s Report
Rick was unable to attend the meeting but reported that the fund balances are unchanged
• Operating Budget: $723.60 as of , January 1
2005-2006 operating budget spent down to $106.41
• Conservation Fund: $17451.27
• Special Projects fund: $1287.98

Correspondence
• Elliot Burg is interested in attending a League of Cities and Towns meeting about how Towns can get involved with Climate Change Action Plans.

Vacancies on the MCC

Green up Day
• Jeff Koombs, scoutmaster, will be involved with coordinating.
• Green- up day is scheduled for May 5

Wildlife Habitat / Worcester Range Conservation Discussion with the Friends of the Worcester Range
• Guests: John Austin and Jens Hilke _ Vermont Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Lisa Sausville, Vermont Coverts
• Jen’s job is to be of service to local Town Conservation groups to help with wildlife planning issues. Lisa helps private landowners with Coverts. Bill Rossmassler hopes to make full use of the public and private help available in our region.
• John Austin: Looking at the Worcester Range as a key…the VT Dept of Fish and Wildlife offers a great place to coordinate the conservation focus
• Possibility of using the Putnam State Forest Management plan as a “model” for coordinating mapping and inventorying of the surrounding natural resource base of the Worcesters.
• 6 Towns in the range have been involved in conservation related issues.
• Jens: Wildlife is a good focal point to create connectivity by linking issues through wildlife.
• Coverts is all about educating private land owners in forestry and wildlife management (in an economically sustainable way)
• Raised the possibility of the North Branch Nature Center becoming the focal point for education, training, information housing of the Worcesters.
• Need for rapid ecological assessment of Worcesters. 
• Possible to coordinate with large area landowners with their “information”, inventories, goals.
• Private ownership is the key …get relationships built with landowners on the ground for good management goals to work.
• Suggestion to get a package …a mosaic of opportunities for the landowner to be involved. Show the pluses and minuses of the different means to manage for wildlife and forestry.
o Forest legacy
o Tax incentives
o Current use
o Coverts education
o Land conservation’
o Easements
Target to start process for June “Friends of the Worcesters” to get conservation commissions involved in getting “Worcester residents involved”
o Schedule May date 5\16 @7:
Committee Reports
Water Quality Committee: North Branch meeting scheduled for April

Village Action Committee

Conservation Program:

Resource Planning Committee \ Recreation Trials Committee
Zoning
• Scott reported that he is interested in scouting out a “link” trail along the reservoir to hook into the Montpelier town trail system
• Dave to check with “Forest and Parks”, and the agency that manages Wrightsville to see about interest in creating a new trail.

Municipal Planning Grant \ Ancient Roads

Community Forestry Update

Wildlife Monitoring Committee

Other Business

Adjournment 
Barry moved to close the meeting, David seconded at 9:30

Respectfully Submitted
Barry Goodman
Secretary