Meeting+2011+May+19

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


 * Attendance Notes**

Present: Blank, Hess (presiding, notes), Snow, Lobsinger, Lina Dostilio, Hammerbacher, Will Caldwell (TLC intern), Perlmutter, Kacy Cook (WRC), Connors


 * Introductions as needed**
 * Lina Dostilio, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA, Director of Academic & Community Engagement
 * New intern with Triangle Land Conservancy

Lina Dostilio, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA
 * WakeNature as a Case Study of Community-University Partnerships**

A key tension in community-university partnerships is the process that is used to engage with one another. One way to characterize this tension is examining the distinctions between "for" and "with." Often, partnerships position the university member to implement a program or initiative for a community. In other instances, partnerships position university and community members to work with one another to implement programs and initiatives. The difference in process – that of working together democratically – is at the center of this research. The study's driving question is, "how do the members of community-university partnerships come to take on collaborative roles and processes?" The study is constructed around one case of community-university partnership and seeks to collect stories of how members adopt particular roles and process. These stories are gathered through conversations, observing interactions, and learning about the partnership through reviewing documents and tangible outcomes of its work. Understanding what encourages people to construct democratic and collaborative partnerships is critical to helping us build more effective, sustainable partnerships. The partnership studied will serve as an explanatory case and will help to indicate the facilitators and barriers to collaborative roles and processes. There is room in this inquiry for both the student researcher and partnership members to make meaning of their experiences, together. In doing so, the project can be beneficial to all involved: by offering a reflective space for WNPP members, by producing a commentary on WNPP processes and roles to this point, and by contributing a rich example of collaborative work to the larger field of community-university partnership research.


 * Action sought**: Lina is looking for agreement from WakeNature to be part of this research.


 * NOTES**
 * Dostilio gave a short presentation: [|WNPPCaseStudy.pdf] [ Note: About 6 images with no text were removed from the beginning of this presentation, because there is no context. During those 6 slides, Dostilio described community engaged work being done at Duquesne. ]
 * Is particularly interested in University-community partnerships and sees some unique elements in how WakeNature was formed and operates (based on what we wrote in our Participatory Research book chapter).
 * Would like to study WakeNature as an example of a democratic partnership
 * Wants to find ways that her work can also benefit WakeNature
 * Consensus that WakeNature would be pleased to participate in this study.
 * Dostilio will be making arrangements to be in Raleigh during the month of June and conduct interviews and tag-alongs as appropriate.


 * Swift Creek Bluffs Assemblage** (Hammerbacher, TLC)

TLC has permission from NC Dept Transportation to include the DOT mitigation land adjacent to Swift Creek in the WakeNature assessment - at least to the extent that we can inventory the property. That means the Swift Creek Bluffs Assemblage includes Swift Creek Bluffs itself, Wake County's Futrell Tract (across Holly Springs Road, downstream), and the DOT land (to the north of SCB). TLC has an intern for the summer who can help with this project. We need to discuss timelines and how we can bring resources to bear on this.


 * Action sought:** Create a preliminary timeline for SCB designation as a WNP; start developing details about resources needed; create list of action items with responsible parties assigned.


 * NOTES**
 * TLC goal to have management plan done by 2012 Jan for the assemblage
 * Will be working with an intern (Caldwell) this summer to pull together existing information
 * Blank's class this fall to work on assemblage - draft plan in Dec
 * Detailed objectives / timeline to be developed during May (Hammerbacher)


 * Urban & Community Forestry Grant** (Hammerbacher, TLC)

TLC has submitted a proposal and is seeking a letter of support from WNP and possibly Wake County Parks.


 * Action sought:** Agreement to write letters of support, a deadline by which to do, and someone to take responsibility.


 * NOTES**
 * Letters of support signed by Hess (for himself & Steelman) and Snow


 * Turnipseed Preserve Site Plan** (Snow, Wake County)

The County has put Susan Hatchell Landscape Architecture under contract to produce a site plan for Turnipseed. At some point in the near future, I'd like to approach our group to see if there is a person that might represent WakeNature during this planning process.

**Action sought:** Appoint someone from WNP to be part of this planning process.


 * NOTES**
 * John Connors will represent WakeNature on the committee.
 * Gary Blank will get involved with Department of Transportation on the bridge-building process.


 * Red Hat looking to volunteer time** (Hess)

We've been contacted indirectly by Red Hat Software on Centennial Campus. They are looking for volunteer opportunities in early June to coincide with World Environment Day. I have no other details, as the person doing this is away at the moment. Do we have any needs and interest that we can bring to fruition quickly?


 * Action sought:** Decision on whether we want to do this; someone to take the lead if we do.


 * NOTES**
 * Hess directed to wait for more information and then solicit ideas by email.
 * Hess received email from RedHat contact later in day - they have already arranged something with another organization. Hess suggested that they could contact WakeNature as future opportunities arise.


 * UPDATES**

**Raleigh Parks Board Meeting - Thurs 27 April** (Hess)

Hess & Steelman attended the Raleigh Parks Board meeting at which information about Raleigh's Nature Preserve proposal was presented formally. Steelman, Shouse, Bailey, & Hess made the presentation.

The meeting went well - it was an "information only" presentation with no action to be taken; there will be a vote during the May Park Board meeting. There were two comments from the audience. One gentleman was just thrilled that we had done this - loved the idea that science was being used and fully supported. The other comment was from John Little representing Wake Audubon; also supportive but had some issues with Anderson Point - my read is that they want the bird meadow included as a Protected Natural Area because of the decline in open field birds. A few letters have been entered into the record, all positive. Concerns raised at public meetings have centered on access and dogs. Once people know they will not be shut out, all seems well. There is certainly neither strong nor focused opposition of any kind. There we some questions from the Board about exactly what they would be asked to vote on - the document? the criteria? the parks to be named nature preserves? - and what, exactly, would be the process for implementing as we go forward and for reviewing and naming other potential preserves. The Nature Preserve Subcommittee addressed comments on the plan during their 13 May meeting to prepare for the 19 May (tonight) Park Board meeting. Several changes were made to the Nature Preserve report, including:
 * Clarification that the 8% slope - as well as all "objective criteria" - are screening criteria and do not, by themselves, indicate that a park will be a nature preserve or contain a protected natural area. This in response to comments that 8% slope was too broad a criterion and should be changed to 15%. We're erring on the side of examining more land.
 * Amplification of potential partnerships that can help Raleigh develop management plans for nature preserves.
 * Moving criteria from appendix into main text.

Responses to public comments will also be presented at the board meeting.


 * Turnipseed Visit of 5 May** (Snow, Hess)

Had a very good visit - see notes from 5 May for comments.

Thanks to everyone for such a great outing! John really did a great job interpreting the site and what a beautiful day. I put some pictures I took on TLC’s facebook and flickr pages. You can access these by holding down control and clicking on the icons below my signature. Or you can get to the flikr site at []


 * Poster presentation at the Museum of Natural Sciences - Thurs 30 June** (Perlmutter)

From Perlmutter.: There is a presentation contest at the Museum of Natural Sciences on June 30, entitled //The Ecology and Evolution of our Wild Lives//: []. As a bit of outreach I entered my Turnipseed poster trusting that it doesn't give too much away on the site's location. My aim is to focus on hidden diversity of our lichen flora right here in our backyard, as relevant to the event's theme.