Meeting+2009+April+16

Thursday 2009 Apr 16 8:30-10 1214 Jordan Hall, NCSU Campus
 * Wake County Nature Preserves Meeting**


 * Attendance Notes**:

Kaytee H. Will be unable to attend.


 * Annotated Agenda Items**

//Please add items you'd like to see on the agenda by 5PM Tues before the meeting.//

//Please add your pre-meeting discussion of these items under the item right here on the agenda, or on the appropriate linked page.//

Working meeting to clarify Wake Nature definitions, WakeNature Preserves, Wake Natural Wonders and language/recommendations for Raleigh Comp Plan.

1) We need to clarify how our existing preserve definition and criteria apply to our "newer concepts" Wake Nature Preserve and Wake Natural Wonder. 2) We need to clarify how our the definitions and concepts above should inform our recommendations for the Comp Plan 3) We need to decide on which parks fit our definitions and criteria to recommend for inclusion as nature preserves in the Comp Plan 4) We need to draft a letter to city of Raleigh for their consideration to amend current Preserves/Natural Area section.

JAMIE WILL DRAFT A SHORT LETTER TO RALEIGH RE: COMP PLAN. 1) THANK YOU FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE; 2) ASK TO CLASSIFY PARKS INTO CATEGORIES; 3) ASK TO ACCOMMODATE NATURAL RESOURCE BASED RECREATION.

DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR CLASSIFICATION CATEGORIES/CRITERIA CONTINUES:

WE DO NOT HAVE CONSENSUS ON THIS BUT ARE CONTINUING TO FIGURE IT OUT

NATURE PRESERVES ARE OUR MAIN FOCUS. SHOULD WE RESERVE WAKE NATURAL WONDERS AS A MARKETING IDENTIFIER TO CREATE AWARENESS/CONSISTENCY ON WHAT WAKE COUNTY HAS TO OFFER. BASICALLY USE IT AS A TOOL TO IDENTIFY NOT AS A CLASSIFICATION.
 * NATURE PRESERVES VS. NATURAL WONDERS:**

NATURE PRESERVES ARE THE WHOLE PARCEL OF LAND/PARK NATURAL WONDERS ARE SUB-PARCELS OF LAND WITHIN A PARK.

AREA MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATIONS ALLOW USO T ASCERTAIN WHETHER A PARK QUALIFIES AS A NATURE PRESERVE. OUR NATURE PRESERVE CRITERIA ARE BROADLY CONCEPTUAL. WHAT ALLOWS US TO OPERATIONALIZE WHETHER A PARCEL QUALIFIES AS A NATUR PRESERVE ARE THE EXCEPTIONA. OUTSTANDING AND NATURAL AREA MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATIONS.
 * CRITERIA AND CLASSIFICATION**

AREA MANAGEMENT CLASIFICATIONS/RECOMMENDATIOSN CAN BE USED IN THE PESENCE OR BAENCE OF A DESIGNATED NATURE PRESERVE. THEY CAN BE USED TO GUIDE MNAGMENET ON THE ENTIRE PARCEL OR A SUB-PARCEL.

THE NATURE PRESERVE DEFINTION SUGGEST FOLLING MANAGMEENT GUIDLINES CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSERVATION FOTHE RESORUCES ON THE PARCEL/SUB-PARCELOF LAND.

new park facilities are currently under construction and a greenway will run from Timber Dr. to Lake Benson Park. Will upload a map asap. Facilities planned include LEED interpretive center and areas, wildflower/grasses area for wildlife, informal and innovative play areas, etc. There are three contiguous sections of the park between Aversboro Road and Timber Drive, the middle parcel includes about 22 acres of wetland.
 * White Deer Park: Tuesday, April 14 at 1:00 pm**. Chris Snow, Jacquelyn Wallace, Nathan ??, Jamie Ramsey, Stephanie Moody (will be park manager), Ed Johnson and Nicole ?? of Garner Parks and Rec met at the site of this new nature park, across the street from Lake Benson Park. The

UPDATE AT NEXT MEETING MAY 7.


 * Roger Winstead photos** -- what to do with them? EVERYONE IS GOING TO IDENTIFY KEY PHOTOS WITH A RATIONALE OF WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET APPROVAL TO USE AND UPLOAD ONTO OUR PICASA SITE. FIND THE PHOTOS [|HERE]. INDICATE WHICH PHOTOS YOU WANT AND WHY BELOW:

George: I was looking for something to use on the wiki home page, but it was so grey and dreary that day that nothing is jumping out at me.

FOLLOW UP AT NEXT MEETING ON MAY 7.

- College of Natural Resources busses are being used for summer camp, plus we at NCSU (as well as other state agencies) have essentially been told to spend no money between now and the end of the year. We need to find an alternative way to get there.
 * Charlotte Nature Preserves trip updates:**

- So far we have had one RSVP for the trip from the municipalities. - If members of wakenature could RSVP me, Kaytee, so that I can get a total head count, that would be great.

UPDATE: Kaytee - sounds like the group will have a full day! We'll be all set on our end and will try our best to ensure you get the most out of your trip.

We have a few nature preserves that either adjoin or are a part of an active park that may make good sites to visit. They are: Reedy Creek Park & Nature Preserve (in all, a roughly 840-acre park. The front 116 acres is an active community park, and the back 727 acres are designated nature preserve) RibbonWalk Nature Preserve (this is a 186-acre nature preserve. It is directly adjacent to and shares its northern border w/ Nevin Community Park) Flat Branch Park & Flat Branch Nature Preserve (one of our newest, currently in master planning and not yet open to the public. A main road separates two parcels. The active Flat Branch Park w/ soccer fields etc is on the 43 acre parcel on one side of the road, and the 42 acre parcel on the other side of the road has been designated Nature Preserve)

Two other good examples are Clarke's Creek Nature Preserve (another new one, not yet open to the public). It is 98-acres and across the street from a planned active community park. Gateway Park & Nature Preserve. It is around 130 acres. Roughly 99 acres has been designated nature preserve.

We can visit any and all of these... plus others. Don Seriff with the Natural Resources section will also be on hand to review and discuss natural resources management, what we do and why we do it, etc.

Regarding lunch, I recommend we simply eat at one of the parks or preserves. We can either swing by a drive-through and take it to a park, or if individuals bring their lunches that works also.

Can you give us an idea of how many people are coming? This will help, as we'll prepare packets of information to distribute.

I look forward to seeing you on the 21st. Sincerely,

Michael Kirschman, Division Director

WE NEED TO GET CLEAR NUMBERS ON RSVPS SABRINA HAS RESERVED A VAN FROM HOLLY SPRINGS (15 PEOPLE) TIM WILL RESERVE ANOTHER VAN FROM WAKE COUNTY.

I (george) **received this email from Kate Dixon (Friends of Mountains-to-Sea Trail) ... Any thoughts?
 * Request for Potential Collaboration

**Date:** 2009 April 3 14:14:48 EDT **Subject:** **conservation assesements and management plans in Marks Creek area** **To:** pete.cowell@ncmail.net, amin.davis@ncmail.net, george_hess@ncsu.edu, John.Connors@ncmail.net **Cc:** sue.regier@ncmail.net, darrell.mcbane@ncmail.net
 * From:** kdixon@ncmst.org

Dear Pete, Amin, George and John:

Sue Regier and I were just talking about the330-acre Riverwalk tract that State Parks has just acquired on the Neuse and Marks Creek in Johnston County. She said that Pete Cowell and Amin Davis of State Parks have been out on the land dealing with management issues related to a gas line.

I mentioned that John Connors (with the NC Museum of Natural Science) and George Hess (with NCSU) are involved in conservation assessments and management plans for land in the Marks Creek area. I don’t know whether this new tract might be incorporated into those efforts, but I thought I would connect you all up by e-mail in the event that it would be helpful to any of you.

FOLLOW UP ON MAY 7 MEETING.