Fox Island Nature Center Committee Meeting Minutes
1 September 2016
Attendees: Ed Burrough, Terry Mace.
The meeting was called to order at 7:08 p.m.
Old Business:
- Ed reviewed the committee activities for August. We set up and peopled/staffed the Nature Center booth at the FICRA Fair. Ed led a three generation group of four on a 2.5 hour tour of the Nature Center to great acclaim.
- We reviewed the 2016 fair concluding that the committee tag team staffing of the booth worked well and that the corner site was ideal for maximum exposure and display of the kid’s photographs.
- Ed distributed copies of the “Statement of Purpose and Scope of Activities” for the Nature Center and the “Open Space Taxation Agreement” for the area. These documents will be forwarded to Tony Moore and the FICRA Trust Board.
New Business
- Ed outlined work projects for the future including: Trimming blackberries over growing the trails, removing the log across the path on the upper western loop, and distributing more wood chips where needed. We need to discuss extending the Reed Canarygrass experiment. We also need to discuss what to do with the steps on the lower western loop. The area is almost always wet and the steps are hazardous. They could be replaced with more stable/substantial steps or an alternative route could be sought around the wet area. The Committee will discuss possibilities further.
- We discussed putting selective plant identification signs in the Nature Center. We thought that the signage should be limited and only for plants that are close to the trail and perennial. We will study the approaches of other nature centers.
- Ed talked to Jennifer Beard and her son, Joshua, about plant identification ideas. Joshua is an enthusiastic young naturalist who sold a book on Fox Island nature at the FICRA Fair. He gave half of his sales revenue to Harbor Watch and half to the Fox Island Nature Center. His $86 donation will be used for something special and we will acknowledge him when we use the funds. Thank you, Joshua!
Next work party – September 17 at 9:00 a.m.
Next FINCC meeting –October 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Nichols Center
The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.