Meeting+2015+Dec+3

//**WakeNature Preserves Partnership Meeting**//
Thursday 8:30-10 4th Floor Nature Research Center - enter through Daily Planet Cafe, go into the NRC and make you way to the 4th floor.

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Gary Blank has a conflict due to a graduate student exam.
 * Attendance Notes**

Connors, Hess (notes), K Smith, Lobsinger, Hammerbacher, Fowler

// **Steering** // ** Committee ** (John Connors, chairman) GOAL: ** Increase momentum ** by growing active signatory membership.


 * Notices and Thanks**
 * Melissa Salter took early disability retirement from Raleigh Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, effective 30 November. We thank her for all she has done to improve natural resource management in Raleigh and Wake County.
 * Bryan England is still recovering from his long illness. We wish him the best and thank him for his dedication to Raleigh's open spaces.
 * Scott Pohlman lost his position at Natural Heritage as a result of budget cuts. Thanks, Scott, for your persistent efforts to recognize and protect North Carolina's natural resources. And best wishes as you search for a new position.


 * Dates for 2016 general and steering committee meetings have been posted on the Meetings & Events page


 * Steering Committee Election**
 * Three members for 2-year terms
 * Chairman Connors' term expires; Hess & Shouse have another year
 * Nominations
 * Vote


 * Discussion**
 * Fowler and Lobsinger are willing to serve. One option is for Hess to step down, Shouse to become (reluctant) chairman, and Fowler & Lobsinger to join committee. Another is for Hess & Shouse (as reluctant chairman) to stay with one of Fowler or Lobsinger to join.


 * Review of 2015 Accomplishments**
 * Goals were documented on the 2014 December meeting page


 * Grant(s) to improve website and social presence; marketing ourselves ** [ not done ] **


 * WakeNatural Wonders marketing campaign - highlight the best places in Wake County, regardless of whether they are official WakeNature Preserves or Wonders. WakeWonder outings a few times a year to visit a set of sites. Visit passports for kids (like "junior naturalist" program Wake County runs). Need criteria - accessible to lay people, diverse features, geographic diversity, multiple landowners/agencies, etc. ** [ partially completed - we have criteria and an initial list of 7 WakeWonders; we have events lined up for many of them; publicity is still lacking - we do not have a marketing campaign ] **


 * WakeNatural Wonder Bus tour - one, in one part of the County, likely in the Fall ** [ not done - postponed to 2016 ] **


 * One workshop a year (BioBlitz 10-11 April 2015) ** [ completed ] **


 * One public workday a year that we coordinate, possibly affiliated with Service Raleigh (28 March 2015) - Turnipseed ** [ Connors workday at Horseshoe to plant milkweek postponed by rain; Hess did a class workday at Turnipseed to plant milkweed and Michaux sumac ] **


 * One "private" workday a year for more sensitive work, prob in Fall ("The Rocks" - flatrocks on Riley Hill Road) - possibilities are Barwell Road, moving of Blanks' sumac to Turnipseed, Mitchells Mill, Temple Flatrock, The Rocks. Mitchell Mill seems like the choice (Fall). ** [ not done ] **


 * Robertson Millpond Preserve designated as 3rd WakeNature Preserve and first WakeWonder - grand opening held 24 October


 * NOTES**
 * Lobsinger has noted a change during the past two years (of her absence) from discussion of management plans to discussion of the value WakeNature has to partners. Connors noted that part of our original goal was to get agencies to think more about stewardship and we have been pretty successful in that regard. Hammerbacher noted that WakeNature has had a major impact on Raleigh and Wake County.
 * Hess - should we declare victory with Wake and Raleigh (and Cary is already OK) which have resources to manage nature preserves and move to the peripheral cities?
 * Lobsinger and Hammerbacher not that peripheral could really use our help because they don't have the resources. Become more of a networking and sharing agency.
 * Fowler wondered if we could somehow replace some of the Natural Heritage work that these other cities might need assistance with.
 * Connors still believes in promotion of high quality natural resources through the WakeWonders. But also sees that Raleigh, WakeC, and TLC are all establishing management strategies for their nature preserves - maybe they can showcase what they are doing to share information with others. Target would be smaller municipalities. Maybe a request for proposal for bioblitzes at sites? Pop-up bioblitz.
 * Fowler - these ideas go back to the management recipe book idea. Wake C is having 40th anniversary and thinking about things to do
 * Hammerbacher - Mill Bridge Nature Park, Rolesville, NC, is not managed for rock outcrops.
 * Hess wondered about whether we could showcase the management of each of the WakeWonders as part of the WakeWonders campaign. Connors added that you could also invite select interest groups - maybe a class that visits WakeWonders periodically.
 * Fowler recalled something that Salter said about getting to the landscape architects to work with them on development plans. For example, Wendell Falls is targeting natural spaces, want trails in their development. Hammerbacher noted that this might be outside of our mission, which is to work with agencies that are already protecting land.
 * Lobsinger - maybe we should do more workshops; Hess adds maybe that's associated with the WakeWonders.
 * Smith - main thing that comes of bioblitzes and workshops is networking.
 * Connors - State Parks bioblitzes tend to be very successful in terms of actual data gathered. Well-networked, lots of expertise, cool places, permanently protected sites. In Wake County success might better be measured in terms of getting people tuned in to the sites in Wake County rather than the quality of the data.
 * TLC is working on Walnut Hill, 400ac including 130 acres of farm field (might be a way to get Wake Soil & Water involved)


 * Smith suggested that we focus on WakeWonders and build some things around that like the workshops. She has been working on an integrated WakeWonders website. Have you ever wondered? When and how do we want to roll out more WakeWonders? Concerted bioblitz at one place this spring (Walnut Hill? Harris?). Management brunch at some of the WakeWonders sites. Do we have another property lined up for WakeNature status? Maybe Proctor?


 * We did not vote for steering committee
 * Connors term ends and he will not run for re-election. He'll pick up inventory chairman position.
 * Hess & Shouse (not present today) will talk about steering committee. Fowler willing to wait until next year with Lobsinger coming on this year. Will get a proposal out soon.
 * Hess will ask Melissa if she is willing to lead an herbicide program under the auspices of WakeNature during 2016. Fowler reinforced how difficult it was to reach no-spray agreements with DukeProgress and other agencies, and there seems to be a clear need.
 * We (steering committee once selected) will craft a 2016 proposal for discussion and decision in January. Basic elements seem to be ...
 * Have you ever wondered? ... Further develop the WakeWonders campaign as a public outreach effort to raise public awareness about the highest-quality natural areas in Wake County.
 * Add a training element to the WakeWonders campaign. Select 2-3 of our current WakeWonders and offer two-hour training sessions about the management issues and solutions for the particular site. Thinking Swift Creek Bluffs, Robertson Millpond Preserve, and possibly Prairie Ridge.
 * Conduct one bioblitz inventory - thinking Walnut Hill (TLC) or Harris Park (Wake Co)
 * Get one more property lined up for WakeNature Preserve status - possibly a site in one of the smaller towns (Mill Bridge Nature Park, Rolesville??)


 * Set Goals for 2016**
 * What one or two things can we do that would have the greatest positive impact on Wake County's finest natural areas?


 * From Melissa Salter (30 Nov by email) ... We've talked about Duke's Herbicide Program briefly at past WakeNature meetings, and the problems with broad scale herbicide application in power line easements. (Loosing the Michaux sumac at Turnipseed is an example of what can happen, and I have witnessed firsthand widespread destruction of quality valuable native herbaceous vegetation within power line easements). In the past, we talked about the potential project of organizing multi-agency data to provide to Duke so they can modify their herbicide program. Just putting this issue back on the table...


 * Renew MOUs for ... NC Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Natural Heritage, NC State U, NC Wildlife Resources, Triangle Land Conservancy, UNC Herbarium, Wake County, Wake Soil & Water


 * NOTES**
 * Reaching out to new people to join the organization
 * Jimmy Dodson

//**Promotion Committee**// (Kaytee Smith, chairwoman) GOAL: ** Tell the story ** of the highest quality natural areas in Wake County and the stewardship they have and need.


 * Report on Temple Flatrock Tour (Hammerbacher, TLC)
 * Wake Wonders Campaign[[image:wake wonders campaign.png width="800" height="400"]]

//**Inventory Committee**// (Scott Pohlman, chairman) GOAL: ** Places on the ground ** - designate publicly accessible WakeNature Preserves.


 * We will probably need a new chair

//**Capacity Committee**// (Gary Blank, chairman) GOAL: ** Bring resource managers together ** to carry out appropriate stewardship of the highest quality natural areas in Wake County.

Continue with the //M. sumac// reintroduction project, using the stock from the expanding population at 813 Lake Boone Trail. Assist organization of any workshops or training sessions the Partnership believes would be worthy of our effort in 2016. Continue the NR 100 service learning project with Raleigh PR&CR at Hymettus Woods and Jaycee Parks next fall. Had major impact on bamboo and English ivy infestations at Hymettus Woods, ligustrum and privet at Jaycee Park. Finally got to spend two afternoons there late in the semester after 4 rain cancellations.