Meeting+2016+Jan+7

//**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.

Tweet about this meeting ... media type="custom" key="9797796"


 * Attendance Notes**

Hess (notes), Stacie Hagwood (Raleigh Parks), Pohlman, Lobsinger, Snow, Fowler, Blank, Massa, Stephanie Jeffries (NCState), Connors


 * Introductions as needed**

We did a round of introductions

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


 * Committees - Discuss and Vote**
 * Current Steering Committee (Connors (chairman), Shouse, Hess) recommends the following Steering Committee for 2016:
 * David Shouse (Raleigh Parks, Chairman) [ in the 2nd year of his 2-year term ]
 * Meghan Lobsinger (NC State) [ to replace George Hess who is stepping down ]
 * Deborah Fowler (Wake County) [ to fill the open seat left by John Connors after serving his 2-year term ]
 * Discussion
 * Vote of those present [ suggest each voting member present write names of people supported on a sheet of paper; Hess volunteers to tally ]
 * Solicit votes electronically from those absent [ Hess volunteers to oversee ]
 * Solicit votes electronically from those absent [ Hess volunteers to oversee ]


 * John Connors has agreed to chair the Inventory Committee; Scott Pohlman has stepped down following reduction in staff at Natural Heritage Program.
 * Discuss and seek consensus


 * Consider leadership of Promotion and Capacity Committees - do current leaders wish to continue? Will of the Partnership?


 * NOTES**
 * Wake, NCState, WRC, Audubon, Raleigh, Natural Heritage in favor of steering committee proposal; Hess will solicit remaining votes
 * Connors will chair Inventory
 * Blank will continue to chair Capacity
 * Discussion of MOU
 * Revisiting expiration / auto renewal again
 * Issue is the need to get signatures, which can be a major process for some municipalities
 * Add a checkbox on the signature page allowing signatory to select either expiration or automatic renewal [ Hess will draft ]


 * Proposed Goals for 2016 - Discuss and Reach Agreement, Assign Responsibilities, Target Dates**

The current and proposed future Steering Committee met on 17 December to consider discussion from the December, 2015, WakeNature meeting and draft proposed goals for 2016. These are presented as discussion-openers for this meeting.
 * Start renewal process for Memorandum of Understanding; 8 members are up for renewal this year.
 * Recruiting new members. Cary might be ready now. We might also focus on some of the smaller municipalities.
 * 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 - possibly Walnut Hill (Triangle Land Conservancy) or Harris Park (Wake County).
 * Get one more property lined up for WakeNature Preserve status - possibly a site in one of the smaller towns (Mill Bridge Nature Park, Rolesville??) - what other places are out there that might be good? - decide which to pursue, who has a contact, etc.


 * NOTES**
 * NC Native Plant Society, Triangle Chapter might be a good group
 * Cary seems interested


 * WakeWonders
 * Prairie Ridge - twilight hike for frogs, woodcock - date will be 20 or 27 February - Connors will work with K Smith to pick the date
 * Hemlock Bluffs for March - Fowler will contact Mark Johns about an event at Hemlock - maybe amphibians in mid- to late-March - possibly adding a herp walk at 4P after their botany workshop on 19 March
 * Perlmutter will do a lichen hike associated with Longleaf festival at Harris on 21 May


 * Training sessions
 * Hemlock Bluffs might be a good one - visitor management - fall
 * Robertson - beaver management - maybe March; Massa will follow up in WRC
 * Prairie Ridge or Harris - prescribed burns - maybe Harris can do a small demo - need to do during week - Fowler will follow up with Harris; Connors with Prairie Ridge - maybe May
 * Swift Creek possibly for invasive plants


 * BioBlitz
 * Lobsinger will talk to TLC about bioblitz to occur possibly in early June; watch to avoid conflict with Mount Mitchell bioblitz being scheduled by State Parks on 29 June


 * Another WakeNature Preserve
 * Wake County has plenty of properties - Southeast Regional Park has bluffs on Middle Creek off highway 42
 * Maybe reach out to Raleigh to see if they want to develop a management plan for something
 * If we're going to be doing a bioblitz a Walnut Hill, why not focus on that property
 * How about Umstead Park?


 * Select meeting location for next 3 meetings **


 * NOTES**
 * Fowler will call Mark Johns to see if we can meet at Hemlock Bluffs for the next 3 months

//**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.

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

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