Meeting+2015+Aug+6

//**WakeNature Preserves Partnership Meeting**//
Thursday 8:30-10 Historic Yates Mill County Park, Lake Wheeler Road (visit park website for directions)

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 * Attendance Notes:** Hess, Hammerbacher, Deborah Robertson Fowler, Shouse


 * Introductions as needed**

// **Steering** // ** Committee ** (Scott Pohlman, chairman) GOAL: ** Increase momentum ** by growing active signatory membership.
 * Renewals of the Memorandum of Understanding will begin in November

//**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.
 * Need to coordinate WakeWonder roll-out with Robertson Mill Pond opening
 * Robertson Mill Pond Preserve opening is Sat 24 Oct, probably morning
 * Invite people to Robertson opening
 * Follow up with MoU renewal campaign
 * Offer collaborative opportunities to plant milkweed in 2016 - hook people with the Monarch butterfly issue - could be a way to bring Cary, Apex (Nature Park), Garner (White Deer Park) aboard with restoration efforts


 * NOTES**
 * At the Robertson opening, announce another WakeWonder tour in about 2 weeks - Temple Flat Rock special tour on 7 or 14 November; Annie Louise Wilkerson later or similar
 * Maybe have dates for all the other ones lined up, spread out over a few months - have ready for Robertson opening

//**Inventory Committee**// (Scott Pohlman, chairman) GOAL: ** Places on the ground ** - designate publicly accessible WakeNature Preserves.
 * Propose incremental WakeWonder roll-out with Robertsons opening - approx 6 sites to start using approach like this .. @http://go.ncsu.edu/WakeWonders
 * Need to get criteria and initial list out to reviewers ASAP. We are asking reviewers (a) are these the right criteria by which to select and (b) is this a good list to start with (the list of 20+ places we've been working with)
 * [[file:WakeWonderReview.pdf]]
 * Need to pick first 6 sites today: Nominees so far are ... Swift Creek Bluffs, Wilkerson (rocks), Anderson (meadows; confluence of Neuse and Crabtree, 2 most important waterways in Wake County), Harris (longleaf), Robertson, Hemlock Bluffs, Prairie Ridge, Turnipseed
 * Build website (Hess can do, if we like the approach above)
 * Need plan to push out the information (promotion help, please)


 * Roberston Mill Pond WakeNature status
 * Deborah has a draft application and management plan to share
 * Need to get a committee lined up to review application expeditiously if we want to link WakeWonders with opening


 * NOTES**
 * Ad hoc review: Alvin Braswell (Museum), Jeff Beane (Museum), Jeff Hall (WRC), Ed Corey (NCState Parks) ... ask Scott Pohlman to chair and for other names
 * 14 Aug - draft done and to review committee
 * 4 Sept - review completed and back to Fowler for any changes
 * 18 Sept - Fowler completes changes and sends back to review committee
 * 2 Oct - final decision from review committee
 * At Robertson opening speakers will include, Chris Snow will talk, Commissioner James West, Commissioner Sig Hutchinson
 * Someone from WakeNature presents sign, announces WakeWonders campaign, announces tour in two weeks
 * Can we make name stickers with WNPP and have some brochures (50-100) - Hess will send Hammerbacher the brochure file
 * 7 WakeWonder sites to start with ... The Seven Wonders of Wake ...
 * 4 definite: Hemlock (February event?), Swift Creek (May), Robertson (October), Wilkerson Rocks (January)
 * 3 proposed: Prairie Ridge (meadow, March), Harris (long leaf festival in April), Temple Flat Rock (guided tours - Nov 2015)
 * Website issues
 * How do we link to WakeNature site?
 * WakeWonders is a promotional too that supports and promotes WakeNature - Use WakeNature & WakeWonders
 * Buy WakeWonders.org and redirect to WakeNature.org
 * Drive all traffic to WakeNature.org - make WakeWonders prominent there
 * Cross link from agency websites

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


 * Milkweed - Connors not here today, so will not discuss in much detail
 * Turnipseed Wed 21 Oct by Hess' Conservation Biology class
 * Wilkerson, Horseshoe; possibly N Wake Landfill and Anderson Point, NC Museum of Art - need follow-up
 * TLC targeted for 2016 - Horton Grove, Temple Flat Rock, Walnut Hill


 * NOTES**
 * Pend discussion until Connors returns
 * High interest in Horseshoe - lots of planting space

//**Other Business**//

 * NOTES**
 * Soft opening of Horseshoe coming up. Looking for a Saturday morning planting day. Maybe Halloween?