Meeting+2014+Oct+2

//**WakeNature Preserves Partnership Meeting**//
Thursday 8:30-10 Walnut Creek Wetland Center 950 Peterson St, Raleigh, NC 27610

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 * Attendance Notes**

Snow (presiding), Shouse, Salter, Matt Rutledge, Pohlman, Hess (notes)


 * Introductions as needed**

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


 * NOTES**
 * Initial outreach to Apex has occurred. Will be approaching John Brown & David Wood to sign MOU. Not clear that their Nature Park is appropriate for a WakeNature Preserve, but there could be some WakeWonders on site.
 * No motion on Town of Cary
 * Snow reported that Connors, expected to be chairman next year, wants to push for grants next year to do the website, etc
 * Snow and Pohlman will be rolling off steering committee

//**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.
 * As a placeholder to carry over to next month when he would be able to attend the meeting, John Connors would like to open up a conversation about finding some grant money to tackle some of the things we want to do, and wanted to know if anyone was interested in helping. For example, asking partners to do substantial work on the website is asking a lot, especially when their day job keeps them really busy. Wake Audubon just worked with a consultant to revise the Wake Audubon website, and this might be a model to follow, if grant money were available.


 * NOTES**
 * Nobody showed up for Festival in Motion at Walnut Creek - oversight on our part. Festival attendance was good, but less than last year.

//**Inventory Committee**// (Scott Pohlman, chairman) GOAL: ** Places on the ground ** - designate publicly accessible WakeNature Preserves.
 * Update on Apex Nature Park inventory (see animal and plant lists [[file:ApexNaturePark_Plant_Animal_lists.xlsx]])
 * The observations of wetlands for breeding salamanders, as well as woodcock and red-headed woodpecker, suggest it has potential as a Wake Wonder
 * May also be an opportunity to help Apex going forward, especially in regards to potential nature programming
 * Robertsons Pond and Procter Tract
 * Robertsons Pond is likely next candidate for WakeNature Preserve nomination


 * NOTES**


 * Apex Nature Park
 * Species list is being developed - spreadsheet on wiki
 * Park is "not what it was" (Connors) - not really a nature park
 * wetlands with breeding salamanders; woodcock
 * not a preserve, but has potential for WakeWonder Status


 * Salter - WakeWonders might be a better focus for us because they could be sprinkled around the County. Identify top 20 sites or so (C Smith class), process to work with towns to make it happen, small signs with QR or similar at first, then grants for larger signs (like Anderson Point)


 * Procter Farm visit
 * Jeff Hall (WRC), Harry LeGrand, Pohlman visited
 * Not much in the way of herps
 * Raleigh Public Utilities has a mitigation easement on the site


 * Robertson Pond
 * Same as above plus Debora Roberston and John Finnegan
 * Confirmed cottonmouths - northern- and western-most occurrence known
 * Snow showed map of parking lot for opening to public
 * Mill pond goes up for historic designation as an archaeological site on 6 Oct


 * Turnipseed Preserve
 * In construction drawing stage now - hoping for Spring 2015 opening

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


 * Two ideas for Fall or Winter workdays -- How best to set up?
 * Privet control at Turnipseed (Pleasant Road side - future access site)
 * Work day to pot Michauxs' sumac at Gary Blank's house?


 * NOTES**


 * Connors has suggested a workday at Turnipseed to control privet with a clip-and-spray operation


 * ANother possible workday to move Blank's sumac
 * He has verbal permission from Dale Suiter - needs to fill out form
 * EcoVillage (Meghan) could work
 * Leaning towards Friday

//**Other Business**//

 * Developers of Wendell Falls subdivision visited College of Natural Resources seeking assistance with making sure they are doing the right thing for wildlife and connecting people with nature. [ Hess ]
 * Our Wiki subscription expires soon. TLC has been covering this in the past. I will see if Leigh Ann can tell me how that was done and then ask TLC if they can continue to do that - they used some kind of discount approach that made it almost free. Otherwise, I'll cover the $50 for the next year from NCState. Expiration is 8 Oct, so I might have to do that just because of the tight timing. [ Hess ]


 * NOTES**


 * Wendell Falls
 * Hess filled in on what's going on
 * Hess to send out map - put on wiki
 * Follow up on time frame with Brad Rhinehalt
 * Are they willing to hire a consultant to do the inventory work
 * They should work with Brooke, find out where the holes are, then do the needed inventory work. We can help define the things that they should look for and review on the back end for possible enhancements. Also review scope of work or Landscape Architect. Need year-long inventory.


 * Salter on spring BioBlitz
 * sent out request to City and got most votes for Durant
 * we do not have internet access at the Lodge - we think that's OK - but it might by then
 * might be used as a kick off for a larger master planning process
 * event could also be used for outreach for upcoming change of Durant summer camps to nature camps
 * We could even offer lodging
 * Target 17-19 April re what else is going on