MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Meeting Held Through Email Due to Coronavirus Restrictions

Attendees:

Gabrielle Oldham Dori Murphy

Ron Anderson Kathie Jarmon

Michael Morgan Tom Frederick

John Bennett

Treasurer’s Report:

Members discussed available funds.

Tom was reimbursed for the White Pine seedlings.

Update on Big Tree Program:

John reported:

We have new nominations for 3 trees at Hilltop Farm in Colora owned by Diane Cantrell and managed by her daughter Natalie DiBerardinis.  Two trees--an oak and a sycamore--may not qualify due to minimum size requirements.  The third, a pecan, may be a new Cecil County champion.   I also have permission to explore the farm for additional possibilities.  The farm covers 500 acres, according to the owner.

We have a new nomination for a black/Lombardy poplar at West Nottingham Academy by a staff member. Populus nigra is a European species considered invasive in some parts of the U. S.  The staff member has provided multiple photos of bark, leaves and flowers.  I have sent it to Jim Bardsley for ID confirmation.  We do not have an example currently registered in Maryland, so this could be a new State champion.

I have been working on mapping the trees registered at Elk Neck State Park.  I have two sections done and am working on the third.  Below are the screen shots of the two completed maps and the corresponding Word list for each.

Central Elk Neck State Park Trees - 10 species, all native, all naturally occurring

#1   BT-3308 Mockernut Hickory         227 pts.                     39.479210 -75.991750  #4 in Cecil; #6 in MD.  Single trunk, leans

#2   BT-3534  Common Hackberry       240 pts.                     39.478778 -75.992902  Cecil co-champ, #12 in MD.  Single trunk

#3   BT-3533  Sweetgum                      239 pts.                     39.478530 -75.992290  #4 in Cecil, #14 in MD.  Single trunk, tall

#4   BT-3532  Sweetgum                      251 pts.                     39.478279 -75.992496  Cecil co-champ; #7 in MD.  Single trunk, tall

#5   BT-3329  Sassafras                       178 pts.                     39.478820 -75.990030  #4 in Cecil; #9 in MD.  Single trunk, damage

#6   BT-3328  Northern Red Oak          291 pts.                     39.479440 -75.988100  #7 in Cecil; #26 in MD.  Triple trunk

#7   BT-3327  Chestnut Oak                 348 pts.                     39.479490 -75.987290  #2 in Cecil & MD.  4 leader trunk divides at 6’

#8   BT-3326 Mockernut Hickory         242 pts.                     39.478360 -75.985660  Cecil co-champ, #3 in MD.  Single trunk, tall

#9   BT-3535  Southern Red Oak         310 pts.                     39.479545 -75.977363  #4 in Cecil; #34 in MD.  Single trunk, damage

#10 BT-3536  Black Oak                       271 pts.                     39.479760 -75.977170  #5 in Cecil; #30 in MD.  Single trunk, damage

#11 BT-3371  Chestnut Oak                  347 pts.                     39.475375 -75.982419  #3 in Cecil & MD.  Triple trunk, divides at 5’.

#12 BT-3370  White Oak                       288 pts.                     39.474073 -75.981701  #6 in Cecil, #82 in MD.  Single trunk, damage

#13 BT-3369 Southern Red Oak           338 pts.                     39.474000 -75.983080  #2 in Cecil; #18 in MD.  Single trunk, damage

#14 BT-2043 Chestnut Oak                   345 pts.                     39.470996 -75.982722  #4 in Cecil & MD.  Double trunk divides at 8’

#15 BT-3323 Northern Red Oak            348 pts.                    39.474920 -75.990930  #3 in Cecil; #8 in MD Single trunk, hard to find

#16 BT-3322 Black Gum                       297 pts.                     39.472560 -75.991750  Cecil champ, #2 in MD.  Single trunk, very tall

#17 BT-3324 Chestnut Oak                   315 pts.                     39.472460 -75.990840  #5 in Cecil, #9 in MD. Double trunk divides 8’

Elk Neck State Park Rogue’s Harbor/Robin Road Tree List

#1  BT-3538  Sweetgum               231 pts.         39.468175 -75.995154.  #5 in Cecil, #18 in MD.  Single trunk, easy to find, pi vines

#2  BT-3537  Sweetgum               251 pts.         39.468212 -75.994660.  Cecil co-champ, #7 in MD.  Single trunk, easy to find

#3  BT-2923  American holly        148 pts.         39.468104 -75.985850.  #3 in Cecil, #22 in MD.  Single trunk, easy to find, damage

#4  BT-3350  Yellow poplar           372 pts.         39.464730 -75.989160.  Cecil co-champ, #29 in MD.  Single trunk, easy to find.

#5  BT-3348  Chestnut oak           355 pts.         39.464150 -75.989300.  MD State Champ.  Triple leader dividing 12’ above ground

#6  BT-3349  Chestnut oak           309 pts.         39.463860 -75.989375.  #6 in Cecil, #11 in MD. Double leader, easy to find.

#7  BT-3347  Black oak                 322 pts.         39.464450 -75.990570.  #2 in Cecil, #11 in MD.  Triple leader, easy to find. 

Elk Neck State Park Turkey Point Trees

#1  BT-2924  Pignut Hickory       215 pts.       39.459197 -76.006483   #6 in Cecil, #13 in MD.  Single trunk, tall, easy to find.

#2  BT-2925  Black Cherry           246 pts.      39.459147 -76.006010   #7 in Cecil, #14 in MD.  Double trunk, divides at 10’, easy.

#3  BT-3318  Bitternut Hickory    282 pts.       39.458020 -76.004079   #2 in Cecil, #3 in MD.  Single trunk, very tall, hard to find.

#4  BT-3319  Chestnut Oak         287 pts.       39.457457 -76.003328   #7 in Cecil, #17 in MD.  Single trunk, very tall, hard to find.

#5  BT-3320  Northern Red Oak  294 pts.       39.457490 -76.003264   #6 in Cecil, #23 in MD.  Single trunk, very tall, hard to find.

#6  BT-3321  Black Gum               226 pts.      39.457356 -76.002967   #6 in Cecil, #13 in MD.  Single trunk, tall, hard to find.

#7  BT-3332  Sassafras                 184 pts.      39.455767 -76.011332   #3 in Cecil, #8 in MD.  Single trunk, edge of cliff, dangerous

#8  BT-3333  Hackberry               243 pts.         39.456049 -76.010302   Cecil co-champ, #11 in MD.  Single trunk, hard to find.

#9  BT-3539  Green Ash               287 pts.         39.455983 -76.009530   #3 in Cecil, #5 in MD.  Double trunk, divides 9’, hard /find

#10 BT-3540 Black Cherry          254 pts.         39.455700 -76.009079  #4 in Cecil, #9 in MD.    Double trunk, divides 40’, near ash.

#11 BT-3330 Black Cherry          292 pts.         39.455095 -76.008736  #2 in Cecil, #4 in MD.  Triple trunk, divides at 9’, damage.

#12 BT-3331 Black Cherry          268 pts.         39.455087 -76.010903   #3 in Cecil, #7 in MD.  Double trunk, divides 20’. Hard/find

#13 BT-3562 Black Cherry          301 pts.        39.451010 -76.007796  Cecil champ, #3 in MD.  Triple trunk, divides 5’. Long walk       

Ken McCathran has developed a new big tree web site.  Members of the Committee have been reviewing the prototype, and we are scheduled to have a virtual conference next Friday.  Kathie has already reviewed it and she may have some comments to add to this report.

Kathie reported that the new Big Tree website is looking really good.  It has a great appearance and, although it is still being tweaked, I find it to already be very user-friendly.   It will be more easily searched than the existing site and offer more to users. 

Natural Resources Career Conference (NRCC) Update:

Gabrielle reported the NRCC cancellation has already been reported. But When Sharon Hoover, who is our contact at Hickory, and I talked, we got next year’s Camp booked. July 25-31, 2021.

Charlie McCoy and I have talked and he is interested in having last year’s students attend a meeting, when they start having them again. When things start to open up, I will be in contact with him again to pick a date.

Ron responded that he was glad Gabe has been able to set up a p[resentation at a future meeting of the Elkton VFW - this is an alliance we should work to keep alive.

Website Update:

Ron reported that he:

Added April minutes – He recommended to look at the maps of Fair Hill John submitted. They work well! Everyone liked the maps of Fair Hill.

Added May Agenda

New Business:

Dori reported that while walking along Old Elk Neck Road with John (Murphy) there was movement in the greenery along the embankment. We both looked in that direction and froze. My husband was the first to speak “what the heck was that?” We compared what we saw slinking away from us through the leaves and shadows and this is what we agreed on. Bobcat. I saw the ears and the spots on the torso and the striped tail. My husband was more focused on its size and movement. We are certain that’s what it was. Pretty hard to believe, though. But COOL! She also reported a flock of turkeys wandering around her house several times.

Forest Service personnel are allowed to work outside the house for 24 hours a week still following all Covid work rules.  16 hours must still be teleworking.

The Timber Harvest Erosion and Sediment Control inspections by the MD Forest Service that were scheduled to start July 1, have been postponed until October 1.

A Forestry Board member in Harford County, who works at the Harford County landfill is going to try giving away some of the Harford and Cecil County seedlings (BYB and White Pine seedlings) at the recycling center at the HC landfill.  I don't know how many they will give away, but it sounds like an involved process to me to comply with the Covid work rules.  

Next Meeting: June 3, 2020