HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2022-07-07 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board Meeting
July 7th, 2022 5:30 pm
(via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Attendees:
Voting Members: Eva Hoffmann (Zoom), Mike Roberts, JoAnn Kowalski, Lori Brewer, James
Hamilton;
Associate Members: Lindsay Dombroskie (Zoom), Elise Edwards (Zoom)
Coordinator(Staffi: Mike S.
1. Persons to Be Heard: None
2. Member Concerns:
a. Bench near IC at scenic view needs to be secured/leveled(Mike S. will talk to Joe
Talbut to see what can be done)
b. News articles about ISAW event (2 of them covered our activities!)
c. Come to the town picnic
d. Are there public works areas (parks) that could be mowed less/be no-mow. Can
we also promote in private lands
e. Educational about messaging for environmental promotion: KEEP IT SIMPLE,
and the word `protect' is good. `Sustainable' is not a great word to use. Emphasis
on water stewardship during this information session that JoAnn attended.
3. Environmental Review Committee (Lori): New application for the CU golf course to
move soil, etc. They needed a permit(>250 cubic yards), so we will review.
a. Mike S. says there are some other projects that have come in but required
additional info before they get sent along by staff to us.
4. Chair and Coordinator Reports:
a. Chair(Lori): Farmers Market tabling (at Easthill Plaza) went well, had some
interactions. Spoke about scenic views and invasive species. In terms of acquiring
new members—there may not be new faces between Farmer Market dates, but
will keep going/trying. People loved the scenic views!
i. Perhaps there could be a re-stock of these brochures at the history center
ii. Perhaps a story map could be made using a smartphone app (e.g., we've
already included a link to a biking website/app)
iii. Perhaps an Avenza map (e.g. GIS georeferenced pdf, open in Avenza app)
b. Coordinator(Mike S.):
i. The town website/opengov should be functional soon, go live together.
ii. Babcock Ridge Trail grant application with updated costs could use a
letter of support from the CB.
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iii. Oct. 1st: tree planting at East Ithaca Nature Preserve! There was an email
about tabling, some CB members have volunteered already to try
recruiting or to provide general environmental education. Applying for
Arbor Day Foundation funding. Perhaps CB can help fund the planting
can revisit this, but could be done.
5. Approval of minutes from April 7, 2022, May 5, 2022, and June 2, 2022: JoAnn moves to
approve the minutes. Mike R. seconds the motion. The minutes were approved.
6. Discuss updates to the Conservation Board's brochure and the Scenic Views map and
guide:
a. Scenic Views Map
i. Ideally updated ASAP. James sent an email with suggested edits to get
feedback from the group.
ii. Some comments on updating photos and alteration of phrasing were
conveyed in open discussion.
iii. Updates can be considered finished, except for the photo substitution.
b. CB Brochure
i. Perhaps the photo in number 8 could also be updated, but some debate on
keeping the old photo
ii. `Longwood' should be `Longview'
iii. Should list the town website(and specifically where on the website) for
more info for meeting details before the Facebook Page. Can revisit once
the new website is live
iv. Mike S. will remove some redundant text to fit new paragraphs and send
out a new draft
7. Re u1g ar reports and updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): will go over the verbiage and the schematic
of the ridges soon to help finalize
b. Communications Committee (James): June 9th ISAW show published in Ithaca
Journal report online at:
kt 06/15/ithaca
conservationists warn invasive s ecies lin per lakes/1.0002205002/
JoAnn got her report about our Fischer Award for FLRU published in Sustainable
Tompkins'page in Tompkins Weekly June 22, 2022 edition, online at:
ki s reuse receives
conservation award/
......................................................................................................
c. Tompkins County EMC(Lindsay): The upcoming meeting on July 1.4th will
feature NYS Assembly member Anna Kelles re: Environmental issues in NY and
the role of the EMC
i. August EMC meeting is cancelled, and June meeting was largely a
business meeting (no guest speaker). Notes for EMC activities are from
the May meeting
1. The UNA committee will be making a field trip to one UNA to
verify the presence of a rare grass. Climate Adaptation Committee
is focusing on ways to support the county resiliency and recovery
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plan. Outreach& Education Committee is working to strengthen
municipal ties and reporting as well as networking with other
stakeholders.
2. The guest speaker in May was Scott Doyle re: the Tompkins
County Resiliency and Recovery Plan. Next steps for the plan
include more public outreach,presentations to local officials, an
interactive storymap, and more. E.g.,heads up that the Town of
Ithaca should be hearing more about this plan, if it hasn't already.
ii. UNA committee could collect some seed from the grass to help propagate,
could reach out to us/Cornell Botanic Garden about protocols for this
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James): James attended a
NYISRI webinar in NYISA Week on HABs and their interaction with invasive
species June IOth. The recording of this webinar can be viewed on YouTube at:
htt s://�vww. outa�be.com/watch`?v—JvN4Vvli aal-lYo
CLWN has a good explanation of HABs on its new newsletter,published June 30,
22. See it at tt s://cayLi) l,ke or%s/wp-content/uploads/I-IABs
CSI is presenting a free water science youth (age 6-14) education program this
summer, starting June 25. See their 4h2o program list at
httpL//www.cofnfn
CSI is having a volunteer appreciation party at Stewart Park Friday evening, July
15.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James): Volunteers weeded
Beebe Lake trail prior to reunion; also trimmed the Fall Creek south trails in
Forest Home. Weeded swallowwort at an Edwards Lake Cliff NA deer browse
experiment next to cliff edge at southern side of that NA in Lansing. Swallowwort
has infested so much of this area that it is climbing the deer exclosure fences and
needs removal from research plots if botanists are to measure effects of deer
browse on native plants in this unique woods.
8. Other Business: No Meeting in August
9. Review 2022 Work Goals /Discuss March A eg nda: No comment
10. Adj ourn: 7:04 pm
-Minutes recorded by Lindsay Dombroskie
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