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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012.08.14 Forest Lands Commission Minutes Draft Minutes FOR A MEETING OF THE ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION Tuesday, August 14th, 2012 5:30PM to 7:30PM Siskiyou Room, Community Development Building 51 Winburn Way I. CALL TO ORDER: 5:30 PM John Williams, Albert Pepe, Frank Betlejewski, Marty Main, Chris Chambers, Stefanie Seffinger, David Chapman II. INTRODUCTIONS None III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July loth Minutes. Betlejewski pointed out changes to item C, changing the sentence to say"All funding... "in the sixth sentence and getting rid of the extra letter"D" at the beginning of that section. Minutes approved with changes including adding the list of attendees. Motion made by Pepe, seconded by Seffinger, all ayes. IV. PUBLIC FORUM None V. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA None VI. BUSINESS A. Trails/Recreation Update Chambers talked with Karns about the trail signs and they've been ordered but not received. Karns is going to find out the arrival date and then work with AWTA to install them along Bandersnatch, BTI, and the Alice in Wonderland trails. Chambers said that Lea Light from the City worked up a pamphlet directing people from the swimming reservoir area to the Bandersnatch trail It will be put on the bottom of the new interpretive sign across from the reservoir. Jeff McFarland couldn't make it to the meeting but told Chambers that he and his crew had worked with equestrian users to identify and cut trees that were impeding access on the Bandersnatch Trail. B. Ashland Forest Plan Revision Betlejewski brought out a paper from Conservation Biology about a previous paper written by Odion, De1laSala, et al that would not be good background information for updating the Ashland Forest Plan. Frank pointed out several key points with implications for conservation planning. Frank brought out a forest type map from 1936 to show that a significant area around Ashland was not considered a forest type at all. Still more was considered oak/madrone forest. There was a burned area as well as significant ponderosa pine forests. G:\fire\Forest Interface DivisionTorest Lands Commission\MINUTES\2012\Aug 14th minutes,2012.docx Frank talked about a recent paper by Baker regarding historic conditions. He has worked with general land office records that he used to put together information, and information that was better than what was used in the Baker paper. Frank's summary from the general land office notes show that there was variability in the forest back in 1920's, some high severity fire was noted, but in patches. Frank's point is that we have a foundation to base our plan and decision making on. Frank and Chris will look at the City's data for the Forest Plan Update and see how it can be put into a GIS database to display it and analyze it spatially, along with Parks land as well. Frank suggested that we move many of the items in the 3 year goals under the umbrella of the Forest Plan update to have one project to work on, although it would take longer to complete. Frank would like the commissioners to take on specific tasks each. Frank will put together a list of tasks to email out to the group. Main brought up some numbers to illustrate the changes that have taken place since 1899 when Leiburg studied vegetation in the Ashland area. Information indicates that the forest was vastly different back then. Marty studied the changes in the forest between 1850 and 1900 when big changes took place and that might have lead to the fires in 1901. There might have been many reasons to target certain species for commercial value such as sugar pine for shake roofing. Seffinger asked about changes in wildlife habitat. Frank talked about the differences in suitable habitat for difference species. C. AFR Project Update Chambers talked about the upcoming public tour on the 18th. Main mentioned that we selected a company for the helicopter work, which is Columbia Helicopters. They should be starting to cut in October and then follow up with a helicopter within a few weeks or so. They'll fly the logs only and process the logs at the landing for the mill. City will solicit a contract with a mill to buy the excess material. There's been lots of surface and ladder fuel work done this spring and summer and it will slow in this hottest part of the year and pick up again in the fall. There have been quite a few log truck loads. Williams commented on how slow the log trucks have been going on Granite Street. Chambers commented that during the helicopter work there may be more than 20 log trucks per day, versus the 4-5 that are going out now. Williams would have liked to see some of that wood be FSC certified, but the Forest Service can't be certified, unlike the City's lands. D. Watershed Outreach Plan Review The commission looked at the Outreach Plan and Williams will update it. Chambers will send him the electronic version (in Word?). Pepe asked about the education piece for children. Williams explained the movement with the local school board to consolidate and streamline watershed education is underway. E. Update Commission 3-Year Goals In general the plan is to work on the Forest Plan update over the next 1.5 to 2 years. Williams asked if anyone was interested in updating the 3 year goals, G:\fire\Forest Interface Division\Forest Lands Commission\MINUTES\2012\Aug 14th minutes,2012.docx and Betlejewski will work on it apart from the Plan Update for the next meeting. VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Seffinger may be a little late next meeting. VIII. REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR/NEXT MEETING A. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: September 11 th, 2012 IX. ADJOURN: 7:30 PM In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you 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). G:\fire\Forest Interface Division\Forest Lands Commission\MINUTES\2012\Aug 14th minutes,2012.docx