CITY OF NORWALK OAK HILLS PARK NATURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (OHPNAC) REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Transcription

1 CITY OF NORWALK OAK HILLS PARK NATURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (OHPNAC) REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 13, 2018 ATTENDANCE: Elsa Peterson Obuchowski, Chair; Lisa Meserole, Audrey Cozzarin ABSENT: Mark Gartner; Bill Hayden OTHERS: Larry Schwartz CALL TO ORDER Ms. Obuchowski called the meeting to order at 7:00PM. ATTENDANCE Ms. Obuchowski called the roll. A quorum was present. October 9, 2018 The following corrections were noted: APPROVAL OF MINUTES On page 2, bullet #2, change blubs to bulbs On page 2, bullet #3, add to plant them after finding On page 2, bullet #4, change blubs to bulbs On page 2, bullet #5, change Ms. Meserole to Ms. Washer reached out to the Norwalk Garden Club On page 2, bullet #10, change he to Mr. Gartner On page 3, bullet #1, change separative to separate On page 3, under reports, bullet 1, add focused more on identifying invasives. ** MS. MESEROLE MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED. ** MS. COZZARIN SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Page 1 of 5

2 GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE: Review of accomplishments & future priorities More precisely defining the boundries of the no-build areas to be preserved; more securerly protecting those areas as permanent open space. Ms. Obuchowski stated that weather dependant she and Mr. Schwartz will be meeting on Thursday, November 15, 2018, to get the GPS coordinates. Find funding or partmerts to implement the planting plans for the Foundation Garden and Great Lawn areas, especially increasing native plants, pollinators, wildlife habitat. Ms. Meserole said it seems like the bulbs have been planted because the area has been mulched and re-edged. Ms. Obuchowski thanked those who made contributions. Maintain the trails and continue improving them (accessibility, control of invasives Ms. Obuchowski said that she will follow up with Mr. Carrano. Ms. Cozzarin asked if the Eagle Scout project will include maintenance. Ms. Obuchowski said yes and will also be to correct some of the problems that they have been aware of. Ms. Cozzarin said that she walked the trail last Friday and it needs some maintenance because the leaves have fallen it s hard to tell where the trail is. Kiosk, trail map, interpretive signs, plaques to identify trees, wildlife. Ms. Cozzarin said that there is a meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 15, 2018, at 12:00PM to meet with Joe Montalto and Bill Waters. She said that she had attended the OHP Authority meeting on October 18, 2018, and she presented the display and there was a lot of positive feedback received. Ms. Obuchowski asked what the cost will be and how it will be handled. Ms. Cozzarin said $350 which is the fabricators cost and that she is volunteering her time. She also said that part of the expense will be to replace a light. Ms. Obuchowski suggested that she contact Mr. Schell because he is the Superintendent of the building as well as the outdoors and he should also be invited to attend the meeting. Ms. Cozzarin suggested if the funds are available to have two displays one for the fall and one for the spring. Ms. Obuchowski said that a release will also need to be done for anyone who is in the photos for the display. Ms. Cozzarin suggested that if they are far away from having a kiosk installing a plexistand that has trail maps. Page 2 of 5

3 Educational Opportunities, especially for your people. Bird watching walk led by Charlie Taney scheduled for Saturday, September 22, 8-9:30AM. Ms. Obuchowski said that she had run into an old friend and he is working on a book about songbirds and she had mentioned the existence of this committee and will invite him to attend a meeting. Mr. Schwartz asked if anything had come out of the discussion at the last meeting regarding how to improve the bird watch. Ms. Obuchowski said that if it was held in the spring the birds are more colorful. Ms. Meserole said that it is also a narrower time period of when the birds are moving through and in the fall it is much more spread out. CT Forest & Parks annual conference October 30. We might approach them to get an expert on a given topic. Marketing, Budget, Time Frame Ms. Cozzarin suggested installing lawn signs next time there is an event. Encouraging sustainable land use practices in Oak Hills Park. Ms. Obuchowski shared an with the newsletter from the Norwalk River Valley Watershed Association which and suggested that the board members be on their list if they are not already. She said that the newsletter is a nice model if we wanted to put together a newsletter to try and get donations. REPORTS Supporters of Oak Hills Park 501 (c)3 is alive and well. Ms. Obuchowski thanked those that contributed to the Supporters of Oak Hills Park but that she does not know where they stand with money at this point since Mr. Gartner had told them at a previous meeting about the pump repair that will need to be made. Ms. Obuchowski clarified that the 501 (c) 3 is for the whole park and that nature center would need to me put in the memo on the check for any donation received for it to be used exclusively for OPHAC. Events: Discuss plans for possible fall and winter events. See other organizations Norwalk Land Trust, CT Forest & Park Assn., Norwalk River Valley Watershed Assn. Page 3 of 5

4 Ms. Obuchowski asked the committee if they thing any additional events should be done in the winter. Ms. Cozzarin said she likes the idea of doing a winter walk again. Ms. Obuchowski said it worked out very well. Ms. Meserole suggested contacting Mr. Whitehead and if he is willing to attend suggested walking the yellow trail. Ms. Cozzarin suggested after the walk to invite people into the restaurant for hot chocolate. Fountain Garden and Great Lawn status: Design and placement of identification plaques, ground-mounted interpretive signs. Oak Hills Park Authority members said they personally would donate toward cost of a kiosk. Here is the one at Farm Creek as an example: Trail map updated by Audrey Cozzarin. We need to update Oak Hills Park website updated description of nature trail and garden area. See and Plant Identification tags/signs and raising money for them McNeil Design Collaborative annotated map and survey need review (help from Alexis Cherichetti?) to provide exact coordinates of boundaries between nature areas & golf areas. Educational outreach, emphasis on appreciating and protecting nature. OLD BUSINESS On 8/9/18 Elsa walked with Kaitlyn Latham and Barbara McCabe from the Health Dept. To list the Oak Hills Park Great Lawn as a good place to walk. Status of the woodlands trail for hiking (as opposed to walking) with Health Dept. still pending as of 11/9/18. Page 4 of 5

5 Ms. Obuchowski said that they have met with Ms. Latham and there will be a tri-fold brochure about the trails available at the Health Department that Ms. Cozzarin has developed. Articles for website about nature with tips for environmentally friendly practices. Privately funded benches by arborist Larry Brown, and /or not-so-rustic bench idea by Ilana L. Appleby, Rustic Design Elements (tabled) Letter of intent to Mayor and Common Council committee chair re old leaf dump and niblick parcels, approved unanimously as park land by full Common Council Oct 13, 2015 (tabled) NEW BUSINESS Ms. Meserole said that the trees at the Great Lawn are still not protected and she is seeing more recent damage to at least one of the trees. She said that she has sent an along with pictures so they are aware but she received no response. She said she checked with an arborist and they had said the trees should have been protected when they were planted. Ms. Obuchowski said that she still has not heard anything back but that she will follow up. Ms. Meserole suggested that it be mentioned to Mr. Schell if he attends the meeting on Thursday. Grant possibilities ADJOURNMENT ** MS. MESEROLE MOVED TO ADJOURN. ** MS. COZZARIN SECONDED THE MOTION. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. The meeting adjourned at 7:50PMPM Respectfully submitted, Dilene Byrd Telesco Secretarial Services Page 5 of 5