MEETING MINUTES

 

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Black Hill Ranger Station

 

 

 

Attendees:

                                                           

Gabrielle Oldham       Dori Murphy

Ron Anderson             Kathie Jarmon

John Bennett               Tom Frederick

                       

 

Treasurer’s Report:

 

Submitted by Tom Frederick.  All present discussed funding status.

 

NRCC:

 

Gabrielle reported that applications have been received for the Program already and there were a few changes in the application.

 

Gabrielle will be presenting at the MAEOE conference in January or February.

 

Ron will request a donations from the Elkton VFW for future NRCC students.

 

 

Update on Big Tree Program:

 

John, Dori and Kathie measured 7 trees in the County on September 30th.  Three of those trees were County Champions. 

 

John went over the remaining list of trees to be measured in the County and the assignments to get permission forms signed.

 

He reported on several State issues also including:

 

Cecil County may have its first National Co-Champion!  The tree is a green ash in Perryville.  He will check with the landowner to see if it is ok to publicize the tree.

 

There has been a small change in the permission form “liability” section.  The problem will be getting the new permission form on the different websites for use.  Ron will put it on the local Cecil County site.  However changing the DNR site is probably difficult and the State Big Tree Program Website is probably impossible at this point.

 

John went over the minutes from the State MBTP meeting held at Black Hill on September 28th.

 

 

Website Update:

 

Ron reported no major changes. 

 

Gabrielle will send some new NRCC photos to be added.

 

Dori will send the photos from the recent County BT measuring day.

 

 

New Business:

 

Ron will try to propagate some of his germinated Wye Oak offspring acorns this fall.

 

John and Gabrielle will look at how Allegany County’s Heritage Tree Sale worked to raise money.

 

Tom requested if the Board wanted to purchase 2500 White Pine seedlings for next spring.  The cost will be $325.00.  The Board voted to purchase the trees again for giveaways.

 

John would like to get some video clips of interviews with some Big Tree landowners.  Dori agreed to help out if any of the landowners are interested in participating.

 

The State Association Meeting will be on November 3rd.  Gabrielle, John, Dori and Tom may attend.

 

Gabrielle reported on the County’s Green Infrastructure(GI) Public meeting.  She serves on the steering committee.  John reported that a Green Infrastructure Plan had been developed during the Comprehensive Plan process.  He said he would talk to Bryan Lightner about it.

 

The next full public meeting of the GI Committee is on December 5th in the evening.  This conflicts with our December meeting.  We will discuss whether to hold, cancel or reschedule our December meeting at the November meeting.

 

Gabrielle also reported on the Maryland Forest Foundation’s Landowner Outreach Meeting in June.  The meeting basically gave ideas and had discussion on how to implement the concept of Boards conducting outreach to local landowners. 

 

Gabrielle and John will be attending Wayne Merkel’s retirement event.