Meeting+2014+Jun+5

//**WakeNature Preserves Partnership Meeting**//
Thursday 8:30-10 NC Museum of Science - Explore at 4 – 4 th  floor Main Building - 11 West Jones Street - enter from Centennial Mall

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 * Attendance Notes**

Attending: Snow (presiding), Pohlman, B. Kirkman, K. Smith, Blank, Connors, Trickel

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


 * Review of WakeNature Data Round-up, and look at some of the data. If you are interested at looking at some of the data prior to the meeting, check out []


 * NOTES**

From Charlynne ... My initial take-away thoughts for our data day was that it worked very well. I'm glad it was a small group; enough to test data collection but not so much that we can't incorporate into new methods or data entry format. A few data entry items need to be corrected - for example, the Nature of Threat was accidentally set as an integer field which meant no text could be entered. When you view the data on the results map, you will notice that nothing is entered in that field. Information related to threat is included in the notes field. Another issue with the data we collected is that for many records the ID of the contributor was not recorded. Several records have no data entered. Moving forward we can improve that part of the process. I think that ArcGIS Online offers a useful method to quickly deploy maps and collect and visualize data. Once we collect data from volunteers, such as the group at Data Day, we need to share the results so they continue to participate and encourage others to participate. I think we also have a good group of GIS volunteers that have continued to express interests in future activities. One student has volunteered to help us structure the database in a more efficient manner (best practices design). I would like to share the data and access with her to continue that effort. WakeNature members need to consider how they want to gather and maintain data for this project.
 * Approximately 12 people showed, but not all people signed in - low turnout
 * K. Smith got emails by people who were very interested, but could not attend at the time
 * Connors was also contacted by people who couldn't make it; feels we barely scratched the surface of what's out there in people's heads
 * Trickel noted that a Public Hearing sign has popped up near one of the sites cataloged by Harris Park - it's a big salamander area - the Holleman's Crossroads four-toed salamander location documented by HL
 * K Smith had contact from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, interested in the WakeNature concept
 * Possibilities
 * create ability to get batch information of databases from people
 * one-on-one visits by Wranglers to people interested in providing data
 * open site to invited people
 * show up at other related workshops and collect people
 * another event at a "dead time" (e.g., winter)
 * Wake County has a Natural Resource Inventory Database; so does State Parks; Raleigh is building one now (Chris Snow will follow up to see if there can be collaboration). How do we put this all together?? These are at least all in the same format. Should the information we collected go into the County's NRID?
 * K. Smith will look into what the Museum is doing in terms of creating uniform database for all Museum collections
 * K.Smith could create a survey of the people who came about how it went / what they'd change.
 * Reach out to list of invitees to see if they'd be willing to do one-on-one or other format
 * Have a follow-up meeting with Charlynne to discuss how this can work as a data collection mechanism. Who is going to manage the database? Where are the data going to reside for the long term?
 * Consistent with WNPP focus, should we go through publicly owned sites one-by-one to get more detailed information about each?
 * K Smith mentioned the idea of digital archivists getting old information into computer systems - is there humanities grant money for such things?
 * K Smith suggested using Anderson Point as an example of how this kind of data can help change management. Maybe next workshop would be this, plus add Tom Howard to talk about databases. [ Talk with Melissa Salter ]
 * Data collection and entry needs to be mobile - eg phone, iPad

//**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.


 * NOTES**
 * What is next workshop?
 * Wants to work more on some video footage to help promote WakeNature Moments or something like that
 * Trickel - 2016 is Wake Parks 40th anniversary - talking about doing a bioblitz in 2016
 * Could we do an inventory / bioblitz / database workshop? Focus on planning aspects.
 * Formed a subcomittee to plan a fall workshop - K Smith chairing, Pohlman, Hess interested in helping

//**Inventory Committee**// (Scott Pohlman, chairman) GOAL: ** Places on the ground ** - designate publicly accessible WakeNature Preserves.
 * Update on Swift Creek Bluffs management plan
 * Prairie Ridge


 * NOTES**
 * Swift Creek Bluffs should be done really soon as per Matt Rutledge (TLC)
 * Prairie Ridge being a WakeWonder ... Pohlman had a confab with Charles Yeltin, who has already created a management plan ... Yeltin will submit an application as a WakeWonder or WakeNature Preserve
 * Blank talked about Lake Raleigh Woods and management being considered there and the creation of a management plan and possible WNP designation. Possibility of mountain biking in LRW is also being considered. Wake County has had good experience with Triangle OffRoad Cyclists as a volunteer cycling management group.

//**Capacity Committee**// (Gary Blank, chairman) GOAL: ** Bring resource managers together ** to carry out appropriate stewardship of the highest quality natural areas in Wake County.
 * John Connors would like to build capacity and increase presence. He is going to look into a grant from Toyota, and might ask for some help.
 * From Gary - would we like to follow up in fall with a spinoff of the roundup? Maybe something about inventory techniques for different ecosystem components, or an overview of inventory purposes and objectives - several experts can talk and give insights into when, etc, to inventory different kinds of taxa, including a field demonstration of dos and don'ts.

//**Other Business**//

 * Update on Turnipseed, Proctor, and Robertson Millpond


 * NOTES**
 * Wake County working on opening these to the public with minimal development
 * Proctor and Robertson need inventory work - there's very little been done there