Conservation Commission April Meeting

JOHNSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES APRIL 10, 2025 Present: Lois Frey, Sue Lovering, Noel Dodge, Adrian Schmidt, Peter Hammond Absent: Jared Jasinski, Dean Locke, Jackie Stanton, Johna Keefe Guests: Adrienne Parker, Blake Parker There was no treasurer’s report tonight. BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE VISITS Adrienne and Blake Parker, representing the Beautification Committee, discussed with us installing rain gardens and how the CC might work along with them. The CC has many diverse skills and we could advise and/or help with projects but have little time. Beautification plans to obtain money to hire someone to install the gardens. We pointed out that these types of gardens are site specific and require certain types of plants. They’re meant to collect rain runoff. The CC has discussed rain gardens in the past. The question is where to put them. There’s no room on the sidewalks, which would be ideal. We decided to observe possible locations and create a list. Perhaps Public Works could make suggestions. When Beautification has data, we will meet again to talk about the next steps, perhaps in October. GOMO TOWN FOREST Peter has had two estimates from surveyors, ranging from 9K to 12K with possible overages. He thinks the selectboard might balk at the cost, so he suggests they might budget it over two years. We’re fine with that proposal. Regarding the management plan, Noel will call Mike Green and discuss fine points from his Gomo forestry proposal. We will need to draw up a contract for Mike and inform the selectboard. POLLINATOR GARDENS The Skatepark’s Casey Romero is working on attractive new signage for Wescom Road that will direct people to the skatepark, pollinator gardens, and community gardens. She has FEMA and skatepark money to pay for it and we will donate the payment for our part of it. A dollar amount was not agreed upon. In the spring, the garden ground is wet where cars park. The highest point is where the third garden was to go. As for mowing, the town’s mower is already at the skatepark, so it makes sense to have them do the garden edges and paths. We could ask them to drop Beard’s from their roster and add the gardens. THE LAST SPRING PRESENTATION In a change of date due to the library’s move on April 26, Noel’s talk about migrating birds will take place on Sunday, April 27, at 10:00 at the municipal building. AUDUBON COLLECTION Lois, Noel, Sue and Eben Dodge had a successful day at the Essex flea market, selling prints and raising some money for the CC’s reserve fund. We collected about $300 and had fun. The snack bar had the absolute worst cheeseburgers in the history of the human race and the promised 10’ by 10’ space was actually 10’ by 4’. We still have a few prints, so Lois and Sue have a plan to collect some items that we can sell along with them at a future, more sophisticated sale. JOURNEYS END AND BEARD’S SIGNAGE The River Conservancy has sent drafts of signage for both areas and asked for our thoughts. Those are: • They include maps, which Noel suggested could be clearer if LIDAR would be used. • Journey’s End sign refers to a “sandy beach”; we’d like that removed, since the beach is anything but. • The JE sign should mention the Fairy Forest and kids. • The Beard’s sign should change the History picture to the 1950’s view of Hubert’s diving board. It should have text about the community’s ability to use the swimming hole and diving board when it was privately owned. Adrian will forward our suggestions to the VRC. MISC • We could plant natives at Beard’s. • The Juster lot on Plot Rd. adjoining the Journey’s End trail is on the market for $115,000. It’s about 1.5 acres. Lois suggested to Vermont River Conservancy that they could buy it as protection for the JE trail. No response as of April 27. • There are some trees down at Journey’s End. Adjourned at 8:20. Submitted by Sue Lovering, Secretary. Next meeting on May 8, 2025, at the library at 6:30.