Draft Minutes

Friends of the State Line Serpentine Barrens Board Meeting
May 30, 2014


Attending: Bob Gray, Anna Hull, David Ross

A) Key Dates

  1. Our next two board meetings will be

            Friday, June 20, 3:30-5:30 Lincoln University
            Friday, July 18, 3:30-5:30 Lincoln University
Conference Dial-in Number: (716) 748-0224 (potential toll call)
 Host Access Code: 445962*
 Participant Access Code: 445962#

 

2. Grassland Restoration Days (conditions permitting)

•          Friday, June 6:             Chrome Barrens (Deloitte; Kent leads)
•          Saturday, June 14:       Goat Hill Barrens
•          Friday, June 20:           Nottingham County Park
•          Friday, June 27:           New Texas Barrens

3. Hikes/Talks

  • August, Oxford Library, Serpentine Barrens Resources and Volunteer Opportunities, TBD
  • September 20, Maryland Native Plant Society lecture at Cecil County, Mike Bertram
  • September 21, Maryland Native Plant Society hike at Goat Hill, Chris Hoess
  • October 5, botanical/ecology hike at Goat Hill
  • October 21,  Oxford Historical Association lecture, Mining in  the Barrens, Mike Bertram
  • First quarter 2015, Oxford Historical Association lecture, Jane Dorchester

 

B) Action Items Going Forward

 

Mike Bertram:

Are you interested/available to participate in August event at Oxford Public Library (see email from Anna)

Point person for our history initiatives

 

Bob Gray:

Talk with Kent about using brush whackers at Chrome on June 6.

Contact TNC to propose that we store BoF provided equipment (ATV, brush hog, etc.) at TNC shed.

Check with Joe

  • About borrowing state ATV when we work on area 20 at Goat Hill.
  • About how to protect glade splurge
  • About map scans

Follow up with Marci

  • on what kind of language PPFF want for an agreement on equipment sharing at Goat Hil (BoF, PPFF, TNC)   and Nottingham County Park (County, TNC and PPFF)
  • who at PPFF is responsible for our Facebook page; discuss how we might get content to PPFF in a more timely manner for updating.

Provide Anna information she needs to complete application for access to PA Heritage Program gateway.

Update Site Tracker

Look into whether we need to register for June 17 event at West Chester University

Future:
            July:  Follow up with Joe on 2015 burn
July:  Follow up with Ken Woodward on date/time for Jane Dorchester presentation

Point person for monitoring our strategic plan.

Anna Hull:

Will email the board the list Jen Renhill provided of networking events over the next few months.

Schedule a trip to Pilot – Chris, William Ryan – to look for hairy chickweed there

Follow up on August event at Oxford Public Library

  • Ask Mike if interested/available to participate
  • Check on potential date

Complete PA Heritage Program gateway application

Reserve room for June 20 and July 18 Board meetings

Point person for science, education and membership/outreach initiatives.

David Ross:

            Meeting with Jay Gregg on June 2

  • Equipment sharing:  Need less than 240 square feet for hand equipment, personal safety gears – brush hog, gas, ATV; willing to share the cost of acquiring jointly; MoU with TNC on shared maintenance and obtaining equipment
      • Potential for 2015 burns through TNC
      • Strategic planning documentation at Park
      • Protecting gentia villosa

Pursue conversations with Mike, Anna, Bob and Rachel Ralls about getting additional mapping data on-line.

 

Intends to pursue contacts at West Chester University and Lancaster County Conservancy

Will raise issues related to volunteer forms during June Board meeting.

Point person for administrative initiatives.

Kent Wagner:

 

Point person for recreational uses and trail planning initiatives.

Henry Whitesel:

Create workday schedule for July and August

Deliver brush hog to Anna for repairs

 

Point person for our conservation/maintenance activities

 

C) Agenda Items Considered

1. Approved Minutes from Board Meeting of 05/10/2014.

2. Approved today’s agenda.

3. We proposed June 20 and July 18 at 3:30 at Lincoln University for next two meetings

4. Review Action Items from 05/10/2014 Board Meeting Minutes.

Mike Bertram:

Will add warning flags to site tracker data base for work areas where fame flower has been located in the past.  -- Done

Bob Gray:

Prep for June 6 Deloitte  workday – see (5a) below

Report on meeting with Joe Frasetta, Anna and Henry

Identified the areas for focus a Goat Hill – 21, 23, 45 and 19
we agreed to substitute 20, since 19 is in good shape – see (9) below.

Joe working on providing an ATV and brush hog (or bush whackers) for our regular use at Goat Hill.  
Bob will propose to TNC that we store these at TNC shed.

Bob will check with Joe about borrowing state ATV when we work on area 20.

Bob to follow with Marci on what kind of language PPFF want for an agreement on equipment sharing at Goat Hill (BoF, PPFF, TNC)   and Nottingham County Park (County, TNC and PPFF)

Joe shared 2008 DCNR plan; he is convening the group to rewrite it reflecting our evolving master plan

Joe prefer to have their own burn team; district needs another burn boss to write  plan; need to meet DEP Philadelphia region restrictions.   Joe plans to meet with DCNR Fire Staff in July.

Joe wants to protect Glade Spurge against deer with individual cages
Herrs have granted permission to protect plants found on their property.

Joe is scanning  maps provided by Rocky Gleason

           
Report on a meeting/conference call with Anna and Jen Renhill on volunteer outreach, May 14 – see (11) below.

Bob, David and Anna will index the box on May 19 in preparation for our May 28 meeting  -- Bob is pursuing

Will contact Rocky Gleason and Roger Latham to locate sites long-hairy field chickweed (Cerastium arvense var. villosissimim) has been found in the past – done
           
Awaiting date from Ken Woodward on date/time for Jane Dorchester presentation – around first of July

Awaiting PPFF draft liability indemnification agreement from Marci Mowery – in progress

May 30 workday:  Workday leaders will tour sites before proceeding for evidence of active birds nests and green snakes – did find one nest and avoided tree;

Bob will call Billy Birney to indicate a final decision on Lower Chrome cedars will await completion of our strategic plan – Done. 

Billy remains interested; and interested in Pilot – forwarded information to Deborah Landau.

Anna Hull:

Locate room for our May 30 Board meeting -- Done

Report on a meeting/conference call with Anna and Jen Renhill on volunteer outreach, May 14 – see (11) below.

 

            Will keep in mind need to schedule date for , botanical hike
                        October 5 a 2pm – Goat Hiil

            Will check to see if workday schedule is posted at Oxford Library  -- 

  • Yes posted
  • Carey Bresler has invited us to do an event in August talking about the Barrens and volunteer opportunities with our organization; bring in some rocks; ask Mike Bertram if he wants to participate; Henry

            Will report on John Dighton’s Mt. Cuba presentation.

  • John has completed the out research permit forms for working at the Barrens; has a Master’s student wanting to compare grasses of pine barrens and serpentine barrens – root fungi
  • Anna enjoyed the talk; opportunity to meet him; interest in coming out mid June – to look at the sites.

Point person for science, education and membership/outreach initiatives. 
Excited to see the number of scholars expressing interest in doing research in the barrens.
            Rachel Spigler (Temple) – identified her plant in Chrome and Goat Hill
Katie Flinn (F&M) – volunteered during today’s New Texas workday; interested in invasive species
Roger Latham – reestablishing connections; very helpful in identifying location of rare species.

Anna, Bob, Katie, Rachel and William all participated in Saturday hike at Unionville Barrens

We are able to help scholars obtain the appropriate research permits with our stakeholders.

David Ross:

Follow up with Jay Gregg about Chester Co. planning for Nottingham Pk. – scheduled June 2 meeting

Scan copies of the forms we have been using to the Dropbox folder -- Done

Update volunteer contact form – helped Bob gain access

Kent Wagner:

Prep for June 6 Deloitte  workday – see (5a) below

 

Henry Whitesel:

Prep for June 6 Deloitte  workday – see (5a) below

Report on meeting with Joe Frasetta and Bob – see Bob Gray Action item above

            Deliver Brush Hog to Anna – Still needs to drop it off

5. Monthly reports from board member “Leads” as applicable:
            a. Conservation / maintenance (HW)

Deloitte:

Lower Chrome areas 3, 4 and 5

May 28 planning conference call with TNC and Deloitte:

George Gress will definitely be there on the 6th. That makes  five experienced "Serpas" lined up -- George, Molly, Mike Waltz, David, and me. There’s the possibility of two others -- Bob Gray, Craig Cohen.   More than enough to ride herd on the 30+ Deloitters (some of whom are “Serpa” veterans themselves).

Deloitters were asked to try to get to the meeting place (Media Church) by 8:30 AM -- to chow down on doughnuts and coffee, etc. – so that we could get started on the real business of the day at 9AM.

Bob to talk with Kent about using brush whackers.

Henry to create July/August workday schedule upon his return in June.

 

            b. Science (AH)
            c. History (MB)
            d. Education (AH)
            e. Recreation / trails (KW)
            f. Membership / outreach (AH)
g. Administration (DR)
h. Strategic Plan (BG)

6. Work out agreement with NCP about “shared” equipment acquisition cost and maintenance expense, and permanent storage location (DR, BG and HW)

David will pursue in meeting with Jay and report to Bob and TNC; Bob will pursue with PPFF.

We are also pursuing a similar plan with BoF

 

7. Equipment - Brush hog repair (HW, AH).

Henry will deliver to Anna

8. Rare barrens species protection – Create internal list, populate Site Tracker spreadsheet, and create map of probable / known locations (using  site observations and PA  Heritage Program info access  per Rocky Gleason), (BG, AH, MB possibly)

Mike has updated Site Tracker

Roger Latham identified sites of past sightings.

Anna and Chris located hairy chickweed at Goat Hill; will pursue at Pilot.

Anna will complete the gateway application for PA Heritage Program

9. Expeditions to locate “Very Hairy” Chickweed at Goat Hill and Pilot. (AH)
Goat Hill  -- May 30
Pilot -- tba

10. Review status of Site Tracker Spreadsheet and updating process (BG, HW).

            Bob will update it with what information we have

11. PPFF – Marketing assistance - event promotion, social media, outreach, etc. (AH)

Report on a meeting/conference call with Anna and Jen Renhill on volunteer outreach, May 14.
Also included PPFF intern Matt Hockenberry – Shippensburg

Jen suggested a 4-pronged approach

  • social media, leaving an online impression:  Ideally we would be uploading pictures to facebook in realtime from our events (workdays, hikes, etc.)

Need a dedicated volunteer/media coordinator.  In the meantime, we will work on coordinating with Mike (web site) and PPFF (Facebook) about moving content out in a more timely manner.

2) More traditional outreach; Jen provided a list of potential networking events that are happening in the area.
Anna to circulate the list to see if it might be feasible for us to attend.

3) Focus on communication with our volunteer contact list;  monthly email newsletter describing events and number of volunteers participating; Pam Metzger could be a helpful resource; mail chimp.

  • Agreed that Henry has been doing a great job providing photos and thanks to volunteers
  • Agreed that following up on this idea will need to wait on finding someone more in a position to fill this role

4) Media exposure:  press releases to local newspapers as well as the local clubs and organizations that have overlapping missions

 

12. Summer and Fall workday schedule to be developed and published in June. (HW)

            Henry to produce

 

13. Master Plan status: (BG) TNC Organizational Meeting 5/28 – Immediate Action Items:
 - Status of each site (work area) – ID info requirements – update site status tracker
 - Assemble data to develop plan for Chrome.
 - Expand contacts for possible planning resources (other Universities, etc) 
 - Draft timeline / deliverables   

Once we determine what data we can obtain from Rachel Ralls, we will discuss a strategy for apply key attributes matrix at Chrome.

[Bob, Anna and David will email to discuss follow up from 5/28 meeting]

 

14. Admin – Master Plan documents folder; (DR)
      - PPFF “Conservation” volunteer sign-up form for Goat Hill and release strategy for  worksites. Adapt a version of the TNC form to capture contact information?

            Discuss in June

 

15. Repository for archival plans and maps sent from W. PA Conservancy. (BG, DR)

            Discuss in June

16. Non Profit Expo – W. Chester University – Tues, June 17, 8 – 11 AM: Nonprofit management and fundraising consultants, trainers, resources, and regional grantmakers & funders. (BG)

            Opportunity identified by Jen Renhill.   Bob will identify registration information.

17. Other business

David reported that much of the land surrounding New Texas is in agricultural easements.   That portion of Fulton Township is in the Agricultural Zoning district – 25 acres per dwelling.   Hence, the concern with finding a permanent protection for New Texas remains, but is less pressing than it might be.

 

18. Adjourned at 5:45 with thanks to Anna for hosting and sharing bounty of the Biology Department garden.