Meeting+2012+Feb+2

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

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 * Attendance Notes**

Attending: Bockhahn, ?? Connors, Salter, Steelman (presiding), Hess (notes), Sullivan, Permlmutter, Miller, Hammerbacher, Pohlman, Leung, Carol Cunningham


 * 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.//


 * Introductions as needed**


 * ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK?**

What are our goals for the year? Do we need some planning? Do we need a different process for designating WakeNature Preserves? One, for example, that doesn't rely on a detailed application? What might that look like? (Picking up discussion from January meeting - see "Discussion developed around the WakeNature model and process and rethinking our approach" about midway down the page)


 * NOTES**
 * Are we too focused on WNP designation as opposed to providing support for organizations managing open space
 * Should we use additional tools to meet our mission, such as identifying and celebrating important natural resource areas in Wake County
 * Instead of pushing the idea of application for designation, use the designation as a recognition for good stewardship
 * Main idea is to find ways to encourage organizations to develop stewardship plans, which is a big deal to do - but we haven't put into place anything about what they want to get out of it - reluctance to participate may be because tee can't tell them what they get out of it - removing designation might gut what we're doing
 * Can WNPP offer resources to help get the management plans done?
 * Is there a way to help with short-term needs while developing and promoting longer-term management plans?
 * It's going to take a decade to put in a system of nature preserves
 * Should we give awards to places doing a good job? A "good stewardship" award. How would we do that? We might tag on to one of the existing award programs.
 * Raleigh has work ready to be done by a small set of volunteers on their nature preserves. ServiceNature anyone?
 * Action - Miller will coordinate with Salter on getting some volunteer days set up for Raleigh's nature preserves
 * Action - Perlmutter will develop a deeper understanding of how CharMeck got where they are
 * Action - Steelman will pursue the "good stewardship" award idea

//**Promotion Committee**//
DO WE WANT TO THROW OUR HAT IN THE RING AGAIN OR THAT JUST GRATUITOUS? The City of Raleighis accepting nominations for its fifth annual Environmental AwardsProgram. The program has 12 award categories highlighting diverse environmental projects and supporters throughout the Raleigh community. Award nominations are being accepted through February 29, 2012 at http://www.raleighnc.gov/environmentalawards.

George asks: What would we add to what we already have? Why would we do this? What would be gained?


 * NOTES**
 * We will NOT submit for Raleigh's Environmental Awards Program

What should we do?
 * We have $$ from grant, but no direction on how to proceed.**


 * NOTES**
 * coordinate 3-4 inventory efforts
 * hire an intern for summer full-time, then one day a week during fall - would work at TLC - prob a current MS student looking for a project
 * Hammerbacher will post list of deliverables


 * WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO ON 7/11: Promotion committee: ** Consonant with our goal to "create more public awareness and appreciation of our highest quality natural areas in Wake County," this committee will develop a website that highlights the natural resources of WakeNature Preserves as they come on line. The website will also highlight the places identified by the inventory committee, and their status. This site will be separate from the wiki and have higher-level production values. Fundraising, marketing, signs, and grant-writing are part of this committee's duties.

//**Inventory Committee**//

 * WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO ON 7/11: . Inventory committee: ** Consonant with our goals to ...
 * identify and designate as “WakeNature Preserves” protected open spaces in Wake County that contain important ecological or geological resources or meet other criteria that qualify them for this distinction;
 * create more public awareness and appreciation of our highest quality natural areas in Wake County;

... this committee will develop a list and maps of the highest quality natural areas in Wake County - those that might ultimately be designated as WakeNature Preserves. For each area, the committee will catalog its status, including what natural resources are on site, whether or not the area is a WNP, has a management plan, is being stewarded, is accessible to the public, and so forth. Once we've identified these places, we might bring together the municipalities they are in for another round of capacity-building workshops.

David Carr is refining the maps showing overlap between NHP's Significant Natural Heritage Areas & Element Occurrences with open space throughout the county.


 * NOTES**
 * One of our goals was to pick one or two sites to do a fairly detailed inventory on, including compiling existing data and filling gaps - compile data during the winter and do on-site inventory during the spring
 * We should have a set of goals for each committee that appears at the top of each monthly report
 * Inventory committee will meet for an hour after each regular meeting

//**Capacity Committee**//
... this committee will develop a list of people willing to devote time to developing nature preserves, including how they are willing to help. We'll make sure to let people know that they may not hear from anyone for a while.
 * WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO ON 7/11: Capacity-building committee: ** Consonant with our goals to ...
 * develop the organizational capacity to conduct natural resource inventories on and develop management plans for Preserves;
 * develop an organized, volunteer base of citizen-scientists to monitor Preserves.

__**March 24th Workday:**__ We’ve gotten the OK from Service Raleigh to participate this year. Suggestions are needed for the description of our project for the registration:

The mission of the WakeNature Preserves Partnership (WakeNature) is to organize and provide resources to identify ecologically valuable, publicly owned open spaces within Wake County and to build capacity for appropriate management and long-term stewardship of those areas. The volunteer project for Service Raleigh will be the restoration of WakeNature’s Turnipseed Preserve. The work will involve removal of invasive species and removal of refuse from the preserve.

Other information to address:
 * 1) Leaders for Service Raleigh workday
 * 2) What tools will be needed?
 * 3) Transportation from campus to Turnipseed


 * NOTES**
 * Sullivan will get a list to Miller; will look at management plan to confirm priorities
 * Steelman will then post a request for leaders, based on what we need to get done

//**Other Business**//
Army Corps of Engineers has changed designation of land around Falls Lake from wildlife to recreation, because they don't have a charge to do wildlife.