Handouts: An article by Chris Wells on SB 388, legislation that established a committee of lawmakers to study the status of land conservation in New Hampshire and to make recommendations on how the state can encourage voluntary land conservation over the next decade. A Trust for Public Lands study entitled “New Hampshire’s Return on Investment in Land Conservation”

Correspondence: Two DES letters regarding wetlands work on Proctor land. Notice of November 1 conference for the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions. Mary Anne and Derek will attend. New Hampshire Planning and Land Use Regulation Handbook – a vote was taken whether to purchase this new edition with a CD version for $14. The purchase was rejected, four to one.

ASLPT Update: (Nan) The September 26 fundraising bike event on the Rail Trail went very well. The Annual Meeting is October 26. Emerald Ash Borer has spread to three counties. A free workshop: “How New Hampshire Wildlife Adapts (or Doesn’t) to Climate Change.” Skip Lisle did some beaver deceiver work. We need to get more information.

August Conservation Easement Workshop

All agreed that this event was a success, with about 20 landowners attending. Personal invitations, and especially follow-up phone calls, were an important part of the success.

Nan will talk to Andy Deegan regarding the follow-up discussions with landowners who indicated they wanted to go to the next step of learning more. Nan will give the list of e-mail sign-ups to Larry.

Location of meeting was adequate, and room set-up made for good conversation. We will continue with refreshments before the workshop.

Fall Event: Workshop by Cathy Corkery on climate change and how alternative energy can help. Group voted to schedule workshop. Derek will talk to Proctor re: getting students involved as well.

Warrant Article

In the 2008 legislative session, a bill was passed to clarify that towns who wish to use Conservation Commission funds to help with easements (usually this is a payment to the land trust to help with surveying or ongoing monitoring) do not have to take a financial interest in the property. This financial interest usually means that the town becomes the back-up easement holder. If the Land Trust should dissolve, the town would become responsible for on-going monitoring and enforcing the terms of the easement forever.

In order to allow a town to not have a financial interest, the town must vote on a warrant article declaring this intention. The wording of the warrant article is specified in the law and is quite confusing. Mary Anne will gather background information for this warrant article for discussion at the next meeting, where we will vote on whether to proceed.

Monitoring Fenvale and Newman Easements

Nan and Sandra will monitor the Fenvale easement by the end of October. Jerry will set up the monitoring of the Newman easement after discussing best dates with the current landowner, Jim McKenna.

Chart of Conserved Lands

Derek has made great progress on setting up this chart, which gives basic information on all Andover easements, including map and lot numbers. Derek will work with Ed Spencer to monitor the Gold Leaf “set aside” and learn more about baseline/current condition documentation.

Many comments were made to improve information on the chart, and Mary Anne will compile these and send to Derek. Tina shared GRANIT information, and Derek will pursue and write up instructions on how to find information on GRANIT.

Conservation Commission Budget

Mary Anne will talk to Marj about the need for more detailed reporting of the Conservation Commission’s budget.