HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012.05.08 Forest Lands Commission Minutes Action Minutes FOR A MEETING OF THE
ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
5:30PM to 7:30PM
Siskiyou Room, Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way
I. CALL TO ORDER: 5:45 PM
Chris Chambers,John Karns,John Williams,Albert Pepe,Jim Berge,Dan
Maymar, Frank Betlejewski
II. INTRODUCTIONS
None.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April l Oth minutes
Williams motioned to approve as submitted, seconded by Betlejewski. All ayes.
IV. PUBLIC FORUM
No public present.
V. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA
None.
VI. BUSINESS
A. Trails/Recreation Update
Karns said that his proposal for funding this project will be decided soon by
the budget committee. Maymar asked about the Bandersnatch Trail progress.
Karns said it was put in and have been some modifications proposed by
equestrians and Karns is working with Parks to adopt a policy for volunteers
to work on City lands to cut branches.
B. City Lands Prescribed Burn Review
Chambers explained the burn conditions as extremely favorable last Tuesday
for accomplishing the burn objectives on unit D/F/C. The burn was successful
in maintaining soil cover and reducing fuels at the same time. Overall public
acceptance seemed to be positive except for an incident where hose was
vandalized in the evening. Chambers will be working with law enforcement to
report the hose incident.
Main added that there are many pieces that had to come together and felt like
we met the objectives well. We retained the duff layers over much of the unit
and achieved some hazard reduction, but not as much as some burns, but that
wasn't the primary objective anyway. The contractor did a great job and we
were able to maintain a good portion of seedlings that had been planted in the
past. Chambers outlined the plans for an upcoming burn on City unit J this
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Thursday.
C. AFR Project Update
Williams asked about the numbers of fishers that have been detected in the
watershed after talking with the Forest Service biologist at Earth Day. Main
said that a neat discovery is the fishers have been using recently treated areas.
Chambers described the upcoming ground based thinning project coordinated
by Lomakatsi this summer. They are close to selecting a contractor. City is
working on a contract for helicopter based thinning.
D. Ashland Water Advisory Committee Update
Williams said that the projects were unanimously approved although Council
didn't approved the rate increase more recently. Williams was disappointed
that the rate increase didn't get voted in, but it will come back to the Council
soon for another vote. Pepe commented on the problem of raising rates which
decreases demand and revenue for projects. Williams said that that factor was
planned for. He felt good after seeing that under 15% of a rate hike could
accomplish the planned upgrades to infrastructure in addition to addressing
the water quality issues in Bear Creek and with TID coming into Ashland
Creek polluted with e. coli. City has estimated that piping the ditch will
recover 15% of the City's water rights in TID water.
E. Watershed Outreach Plan Review
Williams said that we need to review the plan that Iverson wrote and asked
Chambers for his priority. Chambers brought up the education issue that AFR
partners and Williams have been pushing with the School District and School
Board. Commission will spend time at the next meeting reviewing and
updating the outreach plan. Chambers will send out the file for review.
F. Ashland Forest Plan Revision
Frank created an outline of the objectives and Maymar will share some of
those with the Parks Commission coming up soon. Frank has taken info from
other documents from the City and the Forest Service for background. The
inventory data from City forest lands needs to be entered into a GIS database.
Frank could do some of this if he had access to a City computer, or Chambers
suggested that the City's GIS shop might be able to do help out.
Frank found the OWEB Ashland Watershed Assessment and found it to be
very useful and full of information. There should be a soils discussion, fire
management discussion, recreation and a social science component that do not
exist in the current version. The commission needs to find people to work on
these elements.
G. Update Commission 3-Year Goals
Williams reminded the group that we have a hike scheduled for June loth to
the Winburn Parcel at gam. There may be trees marked by then.
The three year goals haven't been updated. Main looked through them and
found that many have been completed or are still in progress. Maymar
suggested a prioritization starting with the Ashland Forest Plan update,
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Implementing/Updating the Outreach Plan (which may be part of the Forest
Plan social section), and then moving on to other items on the list.
VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
VIII. REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR/NEXT MEETING
A. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: June 12th, 2012
IX. ADJOURN: 7:30 PM
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ifyou need special assistance to participate in
this meeting,please contact the Public Works Office at 488-5587(TTYphone number 1 800 735 2900).
Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting(28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I).
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