Meeting+2010+Nov+4

Thursday 8:30-10 1214 Jordan Hall, NCSU Campus
 * Wake County Nature Preserves Meeting**

Steelman out-- eating cheese at a conference in Wisconsin
 * Attendance Notes**

Present: Perlmutter, Anderson, Ramsey, Snow, Lobsinger, Shumate, Hess (presiding, notes), Blank


 * Annotated Agenda Items**


 * Revisit draft press release and consider communications plan for announcement**: [[file:TurnipseedPreservereleaseFinal.doc]]

See also: talking points communications plan

Does this cover the key points we want to convey? Is there anything in the student-created communication plan that can help? What is the timing?


 * NOTES**
 * Overall the document is good
 * add website to press release, for WakeNature and any other thing that's mentioned which has a website (esp in the highlights)
 * No acronyms
 * Ramsey presented an outline of communications goal and actions (will be posted later)
 * Ramsey is collecting information about places to receive press release
 * Snow will look for name from East Wake News
 * We should likely create a media page on the wiki to contain photos and key information (Hess will start)
 * How should we focus the article for the N&O science pages? Possibilities - lichens (pollution angle), volunteer work and collaborative stewardship including management and restoration, local conservation in practice
 * Can we get any training on working with media
 * Ramsey will develop talking points and revise the release
 * We do not want to release until Turnipseed is approved fully
 * NCSU does have media training - Hess has initiated discussions about that and will try to organize something for one of our upcoming meetings.


 * Review** application submission and review process

This has been updated as a result of discussion at our last meeting. Does it seem reasonable and appropriate to all?


 * NOTES**
 * Overall process seems reasonable
 * Full review committee should have the opportunity to see the changes and indicating approval - this can be done electronically.
 * Questions about voting on Turnipseed in the absence of formal MOU and voting rights where raised
 * Possibilities raised: email vote to our regular distribution list; email vote requesting one vote per organization; require in-person vote on a date
 * Question raised again about why review committee doesn't make final decision - should we allow their decision be final on this vote because we don't yet have a formal voting process? Why can't their decision always be final. Need a good process for choosing a credible review committee.
 * Main thing is we want a credible, fair process.
 * Hess will confer with Steelman and make a recommendation.


 * Issue raised - dealing with 4 documents with comments - doesn't seem to be a good solution - it's just like peer review and the responding organization needs to deal with it. We don't want to go to commenting on a common document because there is value in having each reviewer look with an independent eye, uninfluenced by the comments of others. We will explore tech solutions to merging comments from multiple documents.


 * Status of Turnipseed Management Plan revisions** - would like to complete this year (month).


 * NOTES**
 * Final edits of management plan will be done Friday 5 Nov
 * Most changes have been made, and there is a page of justifications for why some changes are not made


 * Mussel Survey at Turnipseed**

He he has been on the road, and we haven't had a chance to sit and talk through and plan. I haven't forgotten you, and will, check in with Chris about and check back with you. JFL

Toddi, Chris and I talked about the opportunity. Can you send me some locations of the various properties. We may have already surveyed some of the sites. Thanks Jay:

Toddi: **Can we have some discussion around what we would like surveyed for mussels? Maybe Chris can fill in on what he and Jay discussed and how to proceed.** THX.

thanks, just let me know some property locations and the names of the creeks that run through them. Jay


 * NOTES**
 * Chris Snow is working with Jay Levine to make this happen


 * Bryophyte Survey at Turnipseed**

e-mail from Christine Davis-Douglas, local bryologist and biology teacher at Durham Tech Comm. College:

As for the preserve, YES, I am still interested in doing a bryo survey. However, I am totally swamped and finding a good time to do this might be tricky. I want to say that spring might be better, but in reality, it would likely need to be early summer after my teaching load has diminished. Is the group willing to wait that long?

Christine


 * NOTES**
 * Gary P has communicated - she's interested and will likely do next spring / summer
 * We need to find a way to remember things like this


 * Possible funding for signs, etc** - found by Kaytee Holcombe

[] Note that this requires someone to go personally to a store to get application materials and to return the completed application to the store. Gary P: I pass by a Walmart all the time. I can stop by and pick up an application to bring to the meeting.

Shall we pursue? Volunteers to lead? Thanks to Gary P for volunteering to pick up. Is there a strategy to who picks up and drops off? They talk about the person having a "presence in the community." Not sure exactly what that means - what community? This is a county-wide effort.


 * NOTES**
 * Gary P checked this out - there is no form - just need request on letterhead
 * They want to know how WalMart will be recognized - note to N&O, on our wiki
 * County is following up to get application and form - we might have to go through TLC - Hess will talk with Leigh Ann


 * FUTURE SITES?? WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS?**

Temple Flat Rock (Triangle Land Conservancy)
 * Perlmutter with Brendan Hodkinson (Duke Univ.) have already surveyed this site for lichens in spring 2009; specimens awaiting IDs.

Swift Creek

Cary

Apex


 * NOTES**
 * Didn't really have enough time to get into this
 * Think some organization other than county should be next, but next county site of interest is Proctor off Riley Hill Road or Swift Creek.
 * Other potential items - Mitchell Mill (State Parks); Hemlock Bluffs; Swift Creek
 * Hess will follow up with TLC

Aimee Rockhill (NCSU) is teaching mammalogy course in the spring and is interested in having students trap and inventory on Turnipseed.


 * NOTES**
 * Chris is interested and may attend meeting