HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2022-02-03 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board Meeting
February 3rd, 2022 5:30 pm
(via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Attendees:
Voting Members: Eva Hoffmann, Mike Roberts, JoAnn Kowalski, Lori Brewer, James Hamilton
Associate Members: Lindsay Dombroskie
Guests: Elise Edwards, Emma Arboleda
Coordinator(Staff): Mike S.
Preamble: All persons on the call introduced themselves and their favorite places
- Elise is a grad student at Cornell University, looking for an outlet for creating change.
She likes Monkey Run Trail
- Emma is a freshman undergraduate at Cornell University and was looking for a club
that fit her interests but there didn't seem to be one at Cornell. She likes Beebe Lake.
1. Persons to Be Heard: None
2. Member Concerns: Mike R indicated there is more pushback about the Town of Ithaca
Deer Management Program(e.g., within the Six Mile Creek area). He has spoken to his
neighbor in person,but there was also a hunting group commenting via social media.
After the meeting the Conservation Board became aware of a petition to close a
management site on Six Mile Creek. It has been closed,but the Town is looking to
replace it with another nearby and more out of sight.
3. Environmental Review Committee (Lori): There are two subdivision applications to
review. A call was organized by Lindsay Dombroskie for committee members (and
anyone else interested) to go through the review process, remote sensing tools, and the
checklist that has been developed to aid review.
4. Chair and Coordinator Reports:
a. Chair(Lori): no updates
b. Coordinator(Mike S.): The Deer Management Program has dropped a site, but
also added a site. The program is getting going for the season. The sites will start
getting used this month.
5. Approval of minutes from December 2, 2021 and January 6, 2022: Eva moves to approve
the December and January minutes. Mike R. seconds the motion. The minutes are
approved.
6. Report on The Stewardship Network Conference (Lori & Joann):A positive conference.
Many actions offered regarding biodiversity or how to involve people in public places
such as parks. There is a potentially useful tool from
ha s://headwaterseconomics.or�p s/ne����hl�orh������ds-at-risk/to assess areas at risk
for...water contamination? Lori and Lindsay volunteer to determine exactly what the tool
does. There was good inclusion of First Nations Peoples (e.g., water ceremony).
Interesting statistics (e.g., 6/10 people don't have access to a park). Perhaps we should
1
help promote access (e.g., v.el.sift'-outdoor-yenues-
.i...ns.p.i...r.... .s..1.o...... a -g p-to-create-tcat-to trails-inap/7. Review status of bluebird boxes and potential future plans:
a. We board discussed details for an activity to prepare the best bluebird boxes for
the breeding season as well as recruit new members. East Ithaca Nature Preserve
was selected as the best location for this activity. An hour on a weekend day
(March 5 th or 12th)will be selected to clean the boxes. A power drill and the
appropriate screw driver attachments are needed. The Communications
Committee will post details on Facebook and invite various interest groups to the
activity.
8. Regular reports and updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): Provided an overview of history, and current
sign installation activities.
b. Communications Committee (dames): James submitted two nominations for the
Fischer Award: Finger Lakes ReUse and Hilary Lambert. JoAnn thought she
might nominate Trees Up Tompkins. We continue to post conservation activist
links on our Facebook page.
c. Tompkins County EMC(Lindsay): The EMC is still regrouping. Lindsay joined as
an associate member, and so also joined the UNA committee. The EMC is asking
for assistance from its members to find representatives from the Town and City of
Ithaca.
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (dames): Volunteers met to
process last summer's preserved Benthic Macroinvertebrate sample from a site on
Six Mile Creek located near 600 Rd in Slaterville Springs. Preliminary results
suggest the creek was healthy at the time of sampling. There are more samples
from elsewhere on Six Mile Creek to process.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (dames): Volunteer efforts were
limited due to weather. Two activities were completed: woody invasive cutting &
paint management at the fringed gentian site on an old radio astronomy antenna,
and similar work on Werly Island in Beebe Lake.
9. Other Business:
a. Eva volunteered that PRI is hosting their Darwin Days events next week. Jason
Dombroskie is talking about moths. Lindsay made a post about it.
b. Eva says look for a cemetery off of the monkey run trail south of the parking lot
on Hanshaw Road. It seems the cemetery may not be well known, potentially lost
to time.
10. Review 2022 Work Goals/Discuss March Agend : No comment
11. Adjourn: 7:02 pm
-Minutes recorded by Lindsay Dombroskie