MEETING MINUTES

 
Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Black Hill Ranger Station

 

Attendees:

 

                       

Ron Anderson                         Kathie Jarmon

John Bennett                           Tom Frederick

Dori Murphy                          

 

Treasurer’s Report:

 

Submitted by Tom Frederick.

 

The board discussed financial status.

 

Cecil/State Big Tree Program Update:

 

John and Dori looked at a tree in North East.  ID is in question at this point.  But John is trying to contact the landowner.

 

38 trees will need to be re-measured in Cecil County in 2018.  John requested assistance in contacting the landowners.  Ron, Dori and Kathie volunteered to help out after the holidays.

 

John will be working with Baltimore City Forestry Board to measure many trees in the future, including some on the John Hopkin’s campus.

 

The Maryland Big Tree Committee is requesting donations from the local Boards to create a $2000/$2000 matching grant with the Maryland Forestry Foundation to hire someone to transfer the State Big Tree website platform.  This transfer is turning out to be much more complicated than originally thought. Currently certain displays on the website cannot be updated or changed.  The Cecil Board agreed to donate $125.00.

 

Website Update:

 

Ron has added a Backyard Buffers advertisement on the website.  He has also updated the County Big Tree List.  A notation for inactive trees was also added.  This would include trees that are beyond the 10 year measuring window.  The photo is also removed in these cases.  He also reconciled the Cecil County and State website listings.

 

Ron will continue to update and check some of the links.  Some suggestions were given.

 

Fall State Association Meeting Report:

 

Gabrielle, John and Tom attended the meeting on Saturday, November 4th.  John reported the following on different topics:

 

Don Van Hassent went over the Forest Service budget projections, personnel issues and upcoming legislative matters.

 

Gary Allen went over a new private landowner outreach training that will be put on by a contractual person, in which at least two members from each Board are encouraged to attend this Spring.

 

NRCC report from Gabrielle.  Thanks given to Steve Resh, Allegany College retired, for his crucial assistance to NRCC over the years.

Big Tree report from John and various volunteers.

Jim Bardsley on how to preserve and submit leaf & plant specimens for Herbaria or ID.

Dawn Balinski gave the Treasurer’s Report.

Glenn Ferenschak American chestnut/Scholarships report.

 

New Business:

 

John suggested sending poster contest info to each Elementary School(17) in Cecil.  John will compile the information, Dori will do the envelopes and Tom will print the packets and provide postage.

 

John informed the Board that his property was one of the properties submitted for Forest Legacy funds to the US Forest Service this year.

 

John reiterated the lookout for Spotted Lanternfly alert for Cecil County.  It has been found in Chester, Lancaster and New Castle Counties.