HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Packet 2023-05-04
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
215 N. Tioga St 14850
607.273.1747
www.town.ithaca.ny.us
TO: CONSERVATION BOARD MEMBERS
FROM: MICHAEL SMITH, SENIOR PLANNER
DATE: APRIL 27, 2023
SUBJECT: UPCOMING CONSERVATION BOARD MEETING – MAY 4, 2023
This is to confirm that the next meeting of the Conservation Board (CB) is Thursday,
May 4th at 5:30 p.m. The agenda for this meeting is enclosed (see the back of this
memo).
The draft minutes from the April 6th meeting are attached. Please email me any spelling,
grammatical, or other minor edits you have prior to the meeting.
At this meeting we will continue to plan for the Fischer Award tree planting to honor the
Friendship Donations Network. The event is scheduled for Monday, May 15th at 5pm at
the Town’s West Hill Park (near the community garden).
We will also continue to discuss ideas for hosting an event as part of the NYS Invasive
Species Awareness Week (June 5 – 11). The initial suggestion last month was to
organize an invasive removal event in a Town park, preserve or trail. I have attached
an email from the Finger Lakes PRISM with more information about the week. You can
also find more information about the week and a calendar of other events being planned
at https://nyis.info/nyisaw/.
Also at this meeting we will continue the conversations on the indigenous environmental
justice (Mike R.) and your yard could be a wildlife sanctuary / garden tour (Ingrid) topics.
Eva is signed up to take minutes at the May meeting.
If you have any questions prior to the meeting or are not able to attend, please contact
me at msmith@town.ithaca.ny.us or 607-273-1747.
REMINDER: Thursday, May 11th at 4pm at Stewart Park (Large Pavilion)
Tompkins County Environmental Management Council Monthly Meeting
Environmentally-minded municipal and county groups get-together! Hear a short overview of what all
seven groups are doing, learn about an upcoming conference, followed by a meet-and-greet. All Town of
Ithaca CB members are encouraged to attend.
Conservation Board Members and Associates (*)
Lori Brewer (Chair), Frank Cantone, Lindsay Dombroskie*, Elise Edwards*, James Hamilton,
Eva Hoffmann, Joann Kowalski (Vice-Chair), Michael Roberts, Ingrid Zabel
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TOWN OF ITHACA
CONSERVATION BOARD
5:30 p.m., Thursday, May 4, 2023
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Aurora Conference Room
215 N. Tioga Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(The rear entrance is handicapped accessible)
(607) 273-1747
Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall
or virtually via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/6750593272).
AGENDA
1. Persons to be heard (5:30 pm)
2. Members comments / concerns
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori)
4. Chair and Coordinator reports
5. Approval of minutes from April 6, 2023
6. Finalize plans for the 2022 Richard B. Fischer Environmental Conservation Award tree
planting
7. Plan for a 2023 NY Invasive Species Awareness Week Event (June 5 – 11)
8. Continue discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike)
9. Continued discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary / Garden Tour (Ingrid)
10. Regular reports and updates (6:30 pm)
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva)
b. Communications Committee (James)
c. Tompkins County EMC (Ingrid)
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James)
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James)
11. Other Business (6:50 p.m.)
12. Review 2023 Work Goals / Discuss June Agenda
13. Adjourn (7:00 p.m.)
TownofIthacaConservationBoardMeetingApril6,2023,5:30p.m.(InPersonatTownHallandviazoomVideoConference)DraftMinutesMembersPresent:EliseEdwards(online),LoriBrewer(Chair),FrankCantone,JamesHamilton,JoannKowalski,MikeRoberts,IngridZabelStaff:MikeSmith(SeniorPlanner)Guests:ClaireNickel(online)andCarlGelderloos(online)1.Personstobeheard(5:33pm)a.None2.Memberscomments/concernsa.None3.EnvironmentalReviewCommitteeUpdate(Lori)a.None4.ChairandCoordinatorreportsa.ChairwomanBreweri.noneb.Coordinatori.TheTownofIthacahashiredanumberofnewemployeesrecently.TheSustainabilityPlanner,twonewEngineeringpositions,DeputyTownClerk,andanAdministrativeAssistantatthePublicWorksDepartmenthaveallrecentlybeenfilled.1.ThereisgeneralinterestfromthemembersofthisBoardtohavethe1newSustainabilityPlannereventuallycometoafuturemeeting.ii.TheTownDeerProgramharvested17deer(comparedto40and41deerinthetwopreviousyears).1.Activityatthefeederswasinconsistent,verylow,ornon-existentmakingharvestingdifficult.2.ThebrowsestudymeanttosupportprovidedataontheeffectstheprogramishavingisbeingrunbyaCornellstudent.Itisunclearifthisarrangementwillcontinue.TheTownmayneedvolunteersfromtheConservationBoardtohelpcontinuethestudy.5.ApprovalofminutesfromMarch2023a.JamesMovedtoapprovetheminutes;lngridSeconded.Allwereinfavor.6.PlanningfortheRichardB.FischerAwardceremony(James)a.Thisyear’swinneristheFriendshipDonationsNetworkb.Theawardeewouldliketoseeabasswoodtreeplanted.c.AWestHillplantinglocationispreferredbyJames.WestHillParkandCommunityGardenareaisalikely,andwellliked,site.AlthoughplantinginMaywouldbeanideal1
timefromaplanthealthperspectivetoplantthetree,theawardeehasbeenhardtoreachandpindownonadate.Jameswillcontinuetoworkwiththem.7.ThoughtsforaneventfortheNewYorkStateinvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek(All)a.Ingridsuggestedthatwehosttheeventalongarecreationwayforadditionalvisibility,whichisafineidea.b.MikeRobertssuggestedthatsinceturnoutisoftenlow,wecouldpursueourowninvasivespeciesremovalproject(alongarecway).Ifpassers-byareinterested,wecanengagethemthen.i.MikeRwillcontactJoeTalbuttogetideasonwherethismaybeneeded.8.IndigenousEnvironmentalJustice(MikeR)a.RodHowehasextendedtheinvitationtotheTownBoardtosupportthedevelopmentofabioculturalplanttrailatTuteloPark.Thereisapotentialgrantopportunityofroughly$5Kforthesignagefornextspring.b.MikeRobertssuggestedanadhoccommitteebeestablishedtoprovidethissupport.I.Ingrid,FrankandJoannexpressedtheirinterestinbringapartofthatcommittee.c.TheTownHistoriansaysthecurrentinterpretivepanelisgoingtogetafacelift.d.ThelocationofthetrailneedstobeconfirmedwithRodandJoe(MikeRwilldothis).e.TheadhoccommitteewillneedsomeorientationtotheproposedtrailandplantsaheadoftheMay6thevent,whenthetrailwillbediscussedandsometourswillbeledbyLeonGinenthalandConservationBoardmembers.f.MikeRwillschedulethefirstmeetingoftheadhoccommittee.9.DiscussionofYourYardCouldbeaWildlifeSanctuary!GardenTour(Ingrid)a.Currentplanningeffortsconceiveeachshowcasedgardenhavingasettimeguestsshouldarriveandtourstostart.EventconfirmedforSaturday,August19th,b.CurrentlocationsareonWestviewLane,nexttheSoilFactory(IthacaBeerDr),JuniperDr.,andMurielStreet.c.BrandonHaok,localbusiness-ownerofMarshyGarden,isalsohostingapollinatoreventonJune19-25athisbusinessoffices.d.JoannwouldliketosetupatableatTCPLthatweekandwillworkwithIngridtoplantheevent.e.Alocalbusiness,BusyBeeEcologicalDesign,wouldliketohandoutbusinesscardsduringourevent.IsthatacceptabletotheTown?i.Yes.10.Regularreportsandupdatesa.ScenicResourcesCommittee(Eva)i.noneb.CommunicationsCommittee(James)i.IngridissettingupanInstagramaccountfortheConservationBoard.ShewouldliketofeaturepublicparksintheTownasastartfortheaccount.H.JamespostedtheFriendshipDonationsNetworkwinnerannouncementonourFacebookpage3/30!23iii.FriendshipDonationsNetworkpostedWednesday,April5“Thankyouforthishonor!”asoneofsix“engagements”withourpost.2
iv.Joeemailedthisafternoonthathe’sonboardwithplantingbasswoodneartheWestHillCommunityGardensnexttoConiferVillageandLindermanCreekApts.c.TompkinsCountyEMC(Ingrid)i.PaulFennisgoingtobespeakingonCommunityChoiceAggregation.BoththeTownandtheCityaregoingtobeofferingthistotheirresidentsinthefuture.Thepurposeoftheprogramistoprovidesustainablysourcedpoweratlowercoststoconsumersthoughaggregatingbuyingpower.ii.TheMay11meetingfortheEMCwillbeatStewartParkat4pm,withallCDmembersinvitedtoattend.d.SixMileCreekVolunteerMonitoringProgram(James)i.Volunteerstooksynopticwatersampleat16sitesfromheadwatersinDrydentoPlainStbridgedowntownonWednesdaymorning,March29,‘23.Creekwasflowingatapproximatelyitsmedianthenasrecordedonthatdatethepast28years.e.CornellBotanicGardensVolunteers(James)i.CUBGishostingawebinaron“GlobalClimateStories,”April18;1-2:3Opmpreregistrationrequiredathttps://t.e2ma.net/click/la2kah/hnlsuc/Qo57hi.ii.VolunteersworkedonreroutingtrailinFischerOldGrowthForestinNewfield,takingadvantageofnewlyacquiredlandnearMeadowbrookMobileHomeparktoavoidaslipperysteepslopeonNEsectionofredtrailloopwheretheinclinewassotrickyyouhadtohangontoaropetiedtotrees.11.OtherBusiness(6:50p.m.)a.MayisNoMowMonth12.Review2022WorkGoals!DiscussJanuaryAgendaa.None13,Adjourn(6:55p.m.)MeetingminutesrespectfullysubmittedbyMikeRoberts3
MikeSmithFrom:bounce-i27370275-60883556@IistcomelLeduonbehalfofGallo,Matthew<GALLO@hws.edu>Sent:Monday,April24,20234:03PMTo:cce-flprisrn-l@cornell.eduCc:Beck-Andersen,SamuelSubject:REMINDER:SubmitNYISAWEventsHelpusCelebrateNewYorkInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek,June5th11th,2023!Goodafternoon!ThisisareminderthattheFingerLakesPRISMisstilllookingforeventsforNYISAW(NewYorkInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek)!ComejoinusinastatewideinvasivespeciesextravaganzafromJune5thtoJune11thasweallworktobringinvasivespecieseducationtopeopleacrosstheFLX.Lastyearourscheduledprogramsrangedfromeverythingbetweeninvasivespeciesboattours,biobtitzes,anddocumentaryscreenings.Thisyearwearelookingtobuildonlastyear’ssuccessandcreateabiggerandbetterNYISAWfor2023!Ifyouwouldliketotalkoversomeoftheoptionsforcreatingorhostingaprogram,feelfreetoreachouttodiscusscapabilityandcapacity.Wecanhelpplanprogramsandhelpincreaseyourreachacrossmarketedaudiences.Additionally,wecanprovideresourcesandgiveawaysforyoureventthatarecateredtoyourprogram.AsapartneroftheNYISAWcampaign,youwillincludetheNYISAWandFingertakesPRISMlogosonallmarketingmaterials,acknowledgesponsorshipfromFingerLakesPRISMincommunications;postpicturesoftheprogramtoshareinourpost-eventmarketing,andcompleteapost-ISAWsurveythatwouldincludenumberofparticipantsandfeedback.Whatdoyouneedfromme?Sendthefollowingtogallo@hws.edubyFriday,May26th.Emailuswith“NYISAWEventSubmission”intheemailsubjectline,andincludethefollowinginformation:•Eventtitle•Eventdescription•Registrationinformation•Eventtime•Eventlocation,address,includingtown/cityandzipcode•EventcontactandemailaddressIfyouhavemarketingmaterialsuchasaflyeralreadydeveloped,sendthatalongandwewillputthisonourwebsiteandcalendar.Whatkindsofeventshavebeendonebefore?Examplesofevents:•Plantpulls/nativeplantings•VolunteersurveyanddatentryintotheiMaplnvasives
•Interpretivehikesorpaddles•Boattours!floatingclassrooms•Publicpresentationsandexhibits•Ask-an-Expertdisplaysatfarmer’smarketsandvisitor,welcomeandnaturecenters•Invasivespeciesmoviescreenings•Otherkindsofawarenessactivities,suchassignageonmarqueesorbookdisplaysPleaseletusknowifyouhaveanyquestions.Here’shopingtoagreatNYISAW!MattGallohe/himTerrestrialInvasiveSpeciesCoordinatorFingerLakesInstitute—FingerLakesPRISMHobartandWilliamSmithCollegesE:gaIlohws.eduP:315-781-4389http//fingerlakesinvasives.org/2