Campton Conservation Commission
 Meeting Minutes
October 10, 2012; 7:30pm
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CCC Members Present: Jane Kellogg, Lea Stewart, Alisoun Hodges, Tammy Wooster
Others Present: Robin Adams, Ben Adams
Lea chaired the meeting and introduced Campton residents Ben and Robin Adams. Ben was observing the meeting as part of a PRHS civics class assignment.
- 1.     Minutes:
 Alisoun made a motion to approve the September meeting minutes. Jane seconded the motion and all were in favor.
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- 2.     Bog   Pond Project:
 On Sept 19 the CC held a work session which was attended by County Forester Dave Falkenham, and Malin Clyde and Amanda Stone from the UNH Cooperative Extension. The focus of the meeting was to formalize an outreach program targeting Bog Pond Area landowners using the Wildlife Action Plan and Taking Action for Wildlife programs as a model.
Maps and supporting descriptive habitat materials were studied and a plan for how to best communicate with landowners was discussed. Subsequent to the work session Amanda and Malin have provided a summary of tasks,actions, and a time frame to complete the projects discussed. One project idea proposed at the work session was for the CC to host a Speaking for Wildlife event, possibly as part of the Historical Society’s programming. Jess spoke with program director Judy Landry who will reserve a 2013 date for us. Another project discussed was Jess’s idea to host a frozen bog walk this winter. The final project recommended by Malin and Amanda was to revise the Wildlife Chapter in Campton’s Natural Resource Inventory to include updated Wildlife Action Plan data. Extension staff will assist the CCC when we are ready to take this on. Additionally, Dave Falkenham is available as a free professional resource to consult interested Bog Pond area landowners on land management and conservation options.
The first outreach meeting with Bog Pond area landowners will be on October 28th and will include a pre-meeting paddle for those who wish to explore the bog as a group. Pat Barker has graciously offered her home for this informal gathering and Patrick Miller offered to share the trails on his land with anyone interested. The CC hopes the meeting will result in the exchange of wildlife sightings and Bog Pond knowledge while getting to know the Bog Pond residents over light refreshments. Landowners will have an opportunity to take a look at the Wildlife Action Plan Habitat map and will be provided with some conservation and wildlife information to take home. Lea shared a draft of a postcard invitation she has been working on which was reviewed and edited. Jane will complete the invitation and circulate the final version via e-mail. Alisoun and Jane will address and mail the invitations to Bog Pond area landowners by Oct 15th
A discussion of how to best handle RSVP’s was had and Lea asked whether the Town had an e-mail address for the purpose of receiving inquiries. The group thought it would be a good idea for the CC to have its own e-mail and Tammy said she would ask Beverly if this would be feasible.  Jane mentioned that she was continuing to make edits to the Campton Bog area contacts list and Lea suggested that it would be helpful to post the list on Dropbox.
Jane mentioned that the CC received an interesting Bog Pond response letter which she shared with the group. The letter was from a Rumney resident who manages property around Bog Pond. The individual described the Campton Bog as a unique area with outstanding wildlife habitat, and confirmed the importance of conserving the bog to maintain the pristine nature of this area. The letter went on to describe an earlier effort to place a conservation easement on several hundred acres surrounding the bog in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. 2 to 3 landowners were involved in pursuing the easement and went as far as having a professional appraisal completed. Several months went by and there was limited or no communication and the landowners were informed that NH Fish & Game did not consider the area as important wildlife habitat area. The letter writer went on to say that this new high ranking habitat designation seemed contradictory to his past experience and that perhaps Fish & Game has had a change of interest. Jane followed up by calling the landowner and thanked him for his letter. He will be invited to our gathering and the CC looks forward to further discussion with him.
Next the group discussed a plan and date for our October work session to prepare for the Bog Pond landowner meeting. We will meet at Jane’s house on Wednesday Oct. 24th at 7 pm to assemble informational packets and formalize a food list and agenda. The idea of having some kind of pushpin/stickers available for landowners to mark wildlife sightings on the habitat map was discussed and will be finalized at the work session. All agreed that this would be a great thing to display at future voting days, similar to our groundwater display.
Tammy reported that she called the Natural Heritage Bureau to request endangered, threatened, and special concern state listed species data specific to the Bog Pond area. She was told that the area hadn’t been surveyed and that any rare species information acquired from our project would be valuable. The idea of completing a future Bog Pond survey was discussed and all agreed that Rick Van De Poll would be a great choice of professionals. Tammy shared copies of a wildlife sightings reporting form she received from the Natural Heritage Bureau which we will include in our landowner packets. She was also told by the NHB Bureau that a botanist said to keep an eye out for the rare plant Hippuris Vulgaris or Common Mare’s Tail. This species occurs in peat land habitat but the nearest sighting documented is in Pittsburgh. Alisoun added that she had e-mailed Forest Service Wildlife Biologist Clara Weloth about the possibility of Wood Turtles at Bog Pond and was waiting to hear back. A final Bog Pond discussion note was that Lea offered to lead a winter walk around the Bog with her Newfound tracking team which all thought was a great idea.
3. Rey Center Nature Nights Summary:
Tammy passed around a summary of the Nature Nights program provided by Leigh Ann Reynolds of the Rey Center. The CC requested a summary including expenses to assist in future educational program planning. Total expenses including staff time, supplies, advertising and mileage were listed as $960.00. The CC was able to raise $500 through donations and the Rey center covered the remaining expenses. Tammy will give the summary to Jess to incorporate into the letter she drafted to the Select Board.
4. 2013 Budget:
 Lea passed out copies of last year’s budget for review. Jane said that she checked with Ann Marie and that we have a balance of $590 left for this year and have spent $495 to date. PRLAC dues, which are requested from each town within the watershed have gone up to $250 from $200. Tammy will check when dues are required for renewal of NH Assoc. of Natural Resource Scientists membership. Next year is a PCP mowing year so we will budget accordingly. A quick count revealed that none present plan on attending the NHACC conference this year. Jane recommended we all think of potential upcoming needs perhaps relative to providing storage for CC materials at the new Town office.
5. FYI:
Jane shared some information she learned while attending a recent Lakes Region Planning Commission workshop titled “Making Progress to Protect Drinking Water Resources in the Lakes Regionâ€. One session she attended reported an increasing occurrence of salt in groundwater. Jane was alarmed to learn that the town well in Ashland had been contaminated by salt due to its proximity to I-93. Ashland hired an engineering firm to come up with ideas to resolve the contamination problem. The town, along with the DOT has now designated the roads surrounding the wellhead protection area as a low salt zone. In realizing that Campton’s aquifer is similarly located adjacent to I-93 , Jane e-mailed Gary Benedix asking what the salt levels in Campton ‘s wells are showing. Jane has not heard back from Gary to date.
Another story Jane shared from the workshop detailed an outreach program undertaken by the town of Tuftonboro to motivate and assist residents to test their own wells. Residents were educated through a town newsletter and the Town provided sample bottles acquired through DES. Test results revealed high arsenic levels in several cases.
The meeting was adjourned at 9pm and Ben and Robin were thanked for attending Alisoun asked Ben if he would send us a copy of his civics assignment when completed to which he agreed.
Respectfully submitted,
Tammy Wooster
 Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 14, 2012
**NOTE: 7pm TIME CHANGE**