Meeting+2012+Jun+7

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

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Gary P. won't be attending - conflict with GRE test appointment Toddi Steelman will not be attending Neither Melissa nor Emily can attend - conflict with a Raleigh workshop
 * Attendance Notes**


 * Attending:** Hammerbacher, Murphrey, Hoffman, Pohlman (presiding), Hess (Notes), Connors, C. Smith, Carr, Holcombe, Lobsinger, Blank


 * Introductions as needed**
 * Scott Pohlman will be Interim Co-chair, replacing Toddi Steelman. As per our Memorandum of Understanding, we will select new officers during our January 2013 meeting.
 * Brittany Hoffman & Kevin Murphrey are interns with Triangle Land Conservancy for the summer.

//**Promotion Committee**//
GOALS: Create more public awareness and appreciation of our highest quality natural areas in Wake County. In 2012 we will: 1) develop a website (completed); 2) maintain/update the website (on-going); 3) promote WakeNature through one or more Stewardship Awards (in process); 4) Promote WakeNature by holding a training session for resource managers (being planned); 5) Create promotional materials to get the message of WakeNature out to a broader audience; 6) Work on fundraising provided key fundable priorities are identified


 * Discussion items**
 * Kaytee on N&O article for Science Monday pages
 * Discuss how to spend media kit portion of TLC/WakeNature grant - $1,800 available. Web development spending is allowable. Maybe a small tri-fold brochure and the rest spent on the web? Maybe some short videos for the website? Pay for videographer and editing (Hess & Pohlman enquiring about costs - can we hire communications or other students?). What might we do a video of?
 * Discuss signage for Lake Johnson from TLC/WakeNature grant - $3,200 to be spent by end of calendar year. Raleigh's signs cost about $2,200 each - are there alternative designs? Below is a photo of a Raleigh sign.


 * NOTES**
 * Kaytee has tried unsuccessfully to contact the N&O by phone and email - nobody has responded. She has found a place to post press releases, which they might respond to if we posted something exciting there. They also have online features. C. Smith noted that we might want to talk to Till Fearn. Connors noted that Meg Lowman writes a column every other week and we might be able to get in on that. The invasive species workshop might be the hook for this; this could be hooked to a drop-in scientist in the Daily Planet at the Nature Resource Center.
 * Hess will contact Lowman to discuss this. Get an article in the N&O Monday pages, perhaps under Lowman's bylines. Hook to our invasive species workshop in September - talks in the Daily Planet about invasive plants, invasive animals, WakeNature.
 * Kaytee has been in contact with several partnerships to get examples of media kits form them - they are currently in the mail. Simple brochures, CD with video, FAQ, etc.
 * Leigh Ann talked to Marin County about their map and website. THey contracted with someone from the local university - took about 5 months.
 * Hess is meeting with C. Smith to discuss doing this with her students in the Fall.
 * Still discussion about exactly who to handle other sites that are not yet WNP sites - do we just put a dot, do we link, do we use this as a tool to help recruits new members?
 * Kaytee suggested a blog on the WNP website so that there's some currency on the site. Kaytee will drive - solicit short articles periodically.
 * Sign discussion - some resistance to a single sign at this cost. Alternatives are SmartPhone applications that give tours of an area. TLC has tried some of this and have not had high levels of use (at Johnson Mill). Kaytee says that Harris Park has also created such a tour and she'll check on the stats. Using OnCell systems to support - see oncellsystems.com TLC paid about $1,000 for development of the web site for five sites. Hess to follow-up with Salter about possibility of doing this at Lake Johnson.




 * Updates**
 * Toddi reached out to the **State of Things** - no word back yet.
 * Toddi reached back out to **Cindy Holmes** with a bunch of follow up questions related to establishing the WN Award-- stay tuned.
 * Toddi followed up with Kofi and politely declined his offer because it wasn't a good fit.

//**Inventory Committee**//
GOALS: 1) to compile a list of potential WakeNature preserve sites that contain examples of excellent ecological resources that either are being managed for their sustainability or are in need of management, 2) select two potential sites to focus on resource inventory building and management plan development for WakeNature Preserve designation. Focus sites for 2012 include TLC's Swift Creek Bluffs (nearly complete) and City of Raleigh's Lake Johnson Park. With Swift Creek Bluffs nearly complete, a third site for focus is an assemblage of properties in the Marks Creek watershed near Turnipseed: Beech, Williamson and West tracts.


 * Updates and Discussion**
 * Update from David Carr on list of potential WakeNature sites and discussion of next steps, most likely with Charlynne's class in the fall.
 * Update from Leigh Ann on TLC/WakeNature grant inventory component - looking at assemblage of properties out by Marks Creek - what do we need to do to help move this forward?


 * NOTES**
 * Use data to develop maps in C.Smith class. Start with sites that have SNHAs.
 * Leigh Ann on grant issues ... trying to get up with C. Snow about doing inventory of Williamson tract near Marks Creek and Turnipseed. TLC will let contract to get this inventory work done this summer and fall on West & Williams Tracts.

//**Capacity Committee**//
GOALS?:

Updates and Discussion

Workshop follow-up - Gary B. looking into invasive species workshop for September, in concert with Forestry Extension Outreach Program (FEOP).
 * Would we like to ask one of the interns hired using the TLC/WakeNature grant to work on getting this workshop organized? If so, who will be point of contact to help and direct?


 * NOTES**
 * Blank talked to FEOP and they are interested in working on this with us on the invasive species workshop. We need to select some possible dates. Want to do it in a park and then go out into the field. We'll pick appropriate topics for our audience. Kevin Murphrey will work with Gary on this, as will Ross Sullivan. Blank will continue to lead on this.

//**Other Business**//
How do we get more people actively engaged on committees? Seems like lots to do and few people doing it.


 * NOTES**
 * Create a list of projects and needs and send out a plea to our email list to see if we can get more help

Quick report on ANREP.
 * Blank, Cook, Hess, Perlmutter, Salter, Snow conducted a workshop at the conference for the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals.
 * One question about reaching out to people who work for WNP on their own time (e.g., Gary P) - how can we do more of this?
 * Is WNPP a good model for NHP to reach out to other counties? Will it work in other places?


 * NOTES**
 * Hoffman & Murphrey are with TLC through early August and will be helping with TLC and WNPP items - they are on the TLC/WakeNature grant funding
 * Kaytee noted that we could do a broader job of getting state employees to use their community service time for WNP
 * Leigh Ann noted that recognition of good volunteers each year helps as well