This is a hybrid meeting. Should any technical interruption to the meeting occur and the Zoom portion of the meeting is suddenly ended, it will not be resumed and all items will be automatically continued to the next scheduled meeting date. This meeting is being recorded by the conservation commission. If any other persons present are doing the same, you must notify the
chairperson at this time. like to call to order this meeting of the Greenfield Conservation Commission at 6:30 p.m. April 14th, 2026. Uh since we have folks online, we will do a roll call. Um starting with Erica
>> here, >> Travis >> here, >> Emily >> here. >> Uh Elizabeth Garello, chair also here. Um up next we will move to approval of meeting minutes from March 10, 2026. Do we have any concerns or questions
around those minutes? >> I move to accept the meeting minutes from March 10th, 2026. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh, all right. Start voting with Erica to approve.
>> I I >> Thank you, Travis. I >> Emily >> I >> I am also I meeting minutes are approved and will become available to the public on our website on the next business day following this meeting.
Okay. So today we don't have any public meetings or hearings on our schedule and we'll just jump right into new business. Uh the >> well actually I was I wanted to request that we bump uh the CPC discussion up
since Athena's online and we don't have any other um people online >> waiting for anything >> for anything. So yeah, I think >> Okay, sounds good. So we'll pop down to old business. Uh the community preservation act funds applications. The community preservation committee voted to allocate funds to both conservation
commission applications. The Miller's Meadow project was voted to receive 20,000 and the conservation fund was voted to receive 20,000. City council will vote next on whether to approve CPC recommendations. Commission to discuss details of the CPC vote and the next steps of the
application process. Athena Bradley is in attendance to add to the discussion around the Miller's Meadow project. We have allocated 20 minutes for this conversation. >> 20 minutes? >> Is that too much or too little, Athena?
>> Well, no. I could always go on, but um no, hopefully under because I know y'all are busy. Um I have to apologize. We're having major thunder and lightning stuff and my dog goes crazy, so I gave her CBD, but I can't help. Um,
okay. So, you all know that we got the grant awarded and it's not official until city council votes on it in June, but we're all excited and they've never not voted forward what the CPC um uh suggests. So, we're hopeful on that.
Um, we know that we need to do an NOI uh for the uh herbicide spraying for the veetch. And we are uh Jessica did a bunch of research and I'm reviewing it and we're meeting the next we got two meetings scheduled for this month. The
NLI has to be presented uh submitted I think April 28th. Correct me if I'm wrong, Jessica. Um >> sounds right. >> And so we'll get that done and we'll be before you for that. Um, and we will do
a um herbicide management plan and we'll get with Chris Pollitin on that cuz he is the registered licensed um person that will be doing the veetch spraying. He's our project court uh contractor as well. So, he's familiar with the project.
And so that's it. We also want to go for uh forward to get a permit for a kiosk on the Miller's Meadow property and so we'll be coming to you for that at some point. We don't have the funds right now, but we're going to be working on
that and it'll be sometime this summer probably. Um, I was also going to suggest that um the concept of a kiosk maybe be included in the application so that we wouldn't have to file a separate application for
the kiosk. >> Um, and yeah, we wanted so Chris would like to do the first pesticide application or herbicide application in uh June. So, we're trying to >> be seen at the first May meeting just in
case it continues to the second May meeting. >> Um, so yeah, that's that's my addition. >> We shouldn't have any problems doing that between me and Jessica working on the management plan and getting with Chris, so he'll be our subject matter
expert expert, but Jessica's already on top of things >> and I'm a good writer, so we'll pull it together. So, uh, as it relates to the herbicides, um, I have a request that when you discuss what you'll be using, could you use active ingredients,
please, rather than just trade names? >> Um, both would be helpful. Um, >> okay. >> Uh, just so we know what we're dealing with. Um, and I assume this is going to be a a burndown application given just the time
of year that we're dealing with. >> What do you mean burn down? um burn down meaning we're killing the above ground vegetative growth but not actually knocking back any sort of um underground portion of the plants that we're
addressing. Yes, he specifically said we needed to do it in June and then he'll probably come back in the fall for a followup. And we will also we've been pulling the Peter and his crew have been pulling the vet all along. So they would do hand removal as well because he's got
a new crew coming in. >> So I'll get clarification on that though. So what you're saying is you're asking will it only be targeting like the folure part and not the roots? Is that what you're saying? So, so he'll your your applicator will understand uh
what burn what I mean by a burn down >> burn down, right? Um literally just quote unquote burning down um the aerial portion of the plant. >> Um >> okay. >> And then and then and the the fall application makes sense as well because then you're what you would be doing then
would be addressing the uh the root portion because the roots be able to be taking down the material that you use. So you're going to be using something that's somewhat systemic that way I would assume. Okay. Yeah, we'll get all those details and
>> um Yeah. >> Um that all sounds great. I can do that. We can do that. >> Perfect. >> Okay. >> Anything else? >> I just had a comment about the I know we
discussed it before the kiosk. that we determined that that's not really considered sort of a permanent piece of >> right. It's not considered a structure. >> Structure. Okay. So, it's we're only talking about structures. Okay. >> I guess has a very specific definition
in like the building code and that doesn't qualify as a structure. >> Okay. Will um benches or picnic table be allowed or >> um there they also don't qualify as structures but they are not allowed in the floodway. >> Okay.
>> Uh I learned >> and that um I don't know if it's bad that that was like a new term for me, but I looked up the >> uh definition and it's actually on the new draft FEMA maps where the floodway
is. It's not on the old ones, which made me feel better. Um, but there is some overlap in the floodway and the the edge of the land in Miller's Meadow. So, I think that some of the benches that were
originally on the proposed sketch uh will not be able to be used and we are working with DPW to Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. It is like really it's torrential.
We need the ring. Um anyway, so we are working >> we are working with DPW to uh start mowing the pathways and so probably ideally if those are not in the riverway, we'll put a bench on there, but we'll definitely bring back all
those plans for the benches and all that. >> Great. Sounds great. >> Thanks, Athena. >> Um I just one question. Um I don't remember what the request was for the um the Miller's Meadow that has been you
know tentatively approved or >> was it fully >> was it fully funded >> funded? Yeah, >> it looks like Athena froze there. So >> I I know the answer. It was fully funded. >> Thank you. That's great. Um >> yeah, it's really great news. I'm on the
edge of my seat for the city council. just very grateful for that support in both cases. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Uh well, I I feel like Athena is frozen and I >> Is there anything we want to talk about
with the conservation fund part of it? >> Yes, that's that's here too. Um so I received an email from Anna. Is it Anna or Anna? Anna. Okay. um
saying that there's also the tenative approval for the conservation fund for $20,000 which is really exciting. Um she said that the CPC would like to do a little more outreach in the coming months to the Commonwealth to other
Commonwealth municipalities that have used CPC dollars for their conservation funds to make sure that the conditions of the award mirror the best practices. Um great one of the or two of the um conditions that they're already have in
mind is uh one is CPA funds will only be used for CPA eligible uses which we had already discussed and then two the grantee agrees to the adoption of a conservation restriction on any real property acquired with these funds
>> which is really just the first one because that's what the CPA law says. >> Yeah. >> That that has to be done. Uh, so yeah, they're going to be doing some more digging, but um she's I I after this meeting tonight, I will
write her tomorrow to I don't know if we should maybe vote because she asked specifically, will we accept the reward? >> I'd vote on that. >> Yeah. So, >> yeah. Should the city council vote in
favor? Would we accept the reward? Well, should we do we need to wait until after they vote? >> I don't know. I mean, I told she she asked in the email, "Do you intend to accept the reward?" >> So, I am I knew what the answer was, but
you know, I'm like, we're going to have the meeting and I'll get back to you after the meeting. >> Might as well then. >> Yeah. >> So, I I moved second. >> Okay. Uh starting with Erica to accept the CPC fund award. Should it be
>> I >> I Okay, Travis. >> Should I? >> I was an I. >> I am also an I. >> Hey. >> Um yeah. Yeah. And there there was some discussion like when we were when the
CPC was voting on uh you know the projects and some people were asking about you know most of the CPC funded CPA funded things are um like a reimbursement where you know the project
happens they spend the money and then they go to the city and they get reimbursed from the CPA funding. But my understanding is that these funds would be transferred to the conservation fund ahead of time, you know, like once the
award goes through >> and then um >> should they be extended, they'd be extended from >> from our Yeah. And we wouldn't it wouldn't be like a reimbursement thing. We wouldn't have to go to them to get reimbured for it. And then um
uh you know there was also talk about you know they just they need to document any use of that funding. So >> absolutely. >> Um and I think in general um people who get CPA funding through our CPC um they
have to do like quarterly reporting. Um which for us might be a little bit annoying if you know if you don't use it for three years and you might have to report to them every quarter saying that we're not using it. We haven't used it yet. Um but there was basically people
were saying like um let's give the conservation commission some money and let's see what they do with it and see if it's worth giving them more money. So, um I mean some of them had like you know let's see what they do with it in a year and I'm like well maybe we won't do
anything with it a year but um so I guess you know we can keep an eye out for >> I really like the idea of doing the outreach and just talking with other tech communities that have done this and getting sort of a sense of >> you know best management practices or or what experiences they've had with it.
And I think um one of the things that would make a lot of sense would be for us just to publicize these funds, you know, rather than saying that let them sit, but you know, make people aware. We're doing some community outreach for the open space committee. Um
>> there's there might be some opportunities I think to make sure that um you know it's not stuck in a sock drawer in the back of you know our minds and but but we can >> make sure that people know that the opportunity is there.
>> Yeah. And I was even thinking maybe like um you know like land conservation organizations like make sure they know you know they want some matching funds for something or you know we could chip in to help preserve things or >> there's a lot of different initiatives
going on. um uh you know there's a lot of there's there was a lot of loss of federal funding for foot conservation and so there's been private and corporate you know funds that have risen up because there's the I don't know the 20 30 whatever there's some initiatives
to try and really m meet some goals for conservation that the state has set so um metric funds would be really helpful that kind of thing >> okay >> and then also I was thinking about you know we don't have the funding yet But once we do um reaching out to the agricultural commission again um to let
them know that you know if there's any agricultural land that what's it called agricultural preservation restriction we can use that to help fund those too. So >> absolutely >> um >> they did
just side note they did um supply a letter of support. >> Mhm. >> Uh there was some confusion around that cuz I had reached out and I hadn't heard back and then I randomly watched one of their recordings for another reason and then I heard it mentioned and I was like
oh I reached back out and I was like I never got that. I know that you voted on it and so yeah I was able to send it in. It was just a little late, but >> yeah. >> All righty. Um, so we feel confident that we've discussed what we need to
around that subject. Great. So, let's pop back up to new business. Uh, emergency certificate ratification 142 Mohawk Trail mobile station tank repair emergency certification. 15 minutes have been allocated to this discussion.
>> Yes. So this um came in the mobile station had like their regular tank tightness test which is like a thing that they do. Um and they failed it but the way the tests work is it indicates kind of where the
fail is about and so they knew that it was the diesel tank um that was at the western edge of the mobile lot. is the mobile that's right by the rotary. Yes. >> And um they knew that the leak was at or
near the top and it was half full. So they knew it wasn't an active leak, but there was questions around, well, did it leak >> when it was full, you know, and so they wanted to get in there to fix it, but also to explore. And we received a letter from the Department of Health
requesting that the work be done immediately. Uh so I uh I did reach out to Elizabeth. I also granted the emergency and I did receive an update from them um
which I can read to you scope initial update. Okay. The leak was identified and was located at the very top of the riser, which is a pipe connected to the top of the tank. The location is above the diesel level in the tank, even if it
was completely filled. So, no diesel was observed to have been released. There were no odors, and the field screening did not indicate any contamination. The contractor discovered a wiring problem, which is going to add some time to the project. We expect the repair to be
wrapped up by Thursday. This was on the 7th, so that's just it's done. Um, and the concrete will be poured on Friday. So, that's really good news. And, um, so
we need to ratify this. And also, I have uh, well, his name is Christopher Heran from Synergy Environmental. So, I invited him to come to the next meeting to just uh, give us an update. He couldn't come to this meeting.
wrap up. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um it's hard to envision, you know, from the description, but I I understand that often times there's like an outer protective layer around this type of tank so that if there is a fail,
like a double wall, >> you know, where >> Yeah. It seems like there's the um there's the tank with the double wall, but it seems like there was a pipe that goes into the tank. I don't know if the pipe is doublewalled,
>> right? >> But he said that based on because they tested all the area around it and everything came up ne negative. So, >> um but I did see if I can share my screen. I don't even know if this is honestly
worthwhile to show because you can't see anything, but it it the tank was um under the concrete on the western edge of the lot. So, all all the work was done on pavement and um
>> is the western edge towards the road or away from the road? >> Well, the road goes east west. So it's >> kind of parallel and it and there's an intermittent stream that's to the south which is it's the stream that goes by those storage units, you know, and then
it's it's um in between like those homes and the mobile station at the base of that hill. Um so it's it was buffer I believe buffer zone and riverfront area to intermittent stream but all on paved areas. So
>> anyway, so yeah, we'll have to vote. You'll have to vote to >> and I think we can I mean it sounds like it's done at this point, but just pointing out I think at this point we can add more conditions to I mean it sounds like it's not necessary in this
case, but I think that's something that can happen at this point. >> Um I'm going to bring up because I did And maybe you had conditions on the emergency certification. >> Yes, I did write something. All erosion
control should be placed according to the approved plans. Installation before construction, installed before construction shall remain in place until all disturbed areas are stabilized. All spoils resulting from construction activity that remain on site shall be
located on paved areas and covered at the close of each construction day to prevent sedimentation or contaminated runoff into the wetland resource areas. Commission to be notified immediately if diesel is detected in the POE. Um that's
what the Pstone is what's under the concrete that surrounds the tank. The commission reserves the right to impose additional conditions to mitigate any impacts which could result from site material migration or any degradation of surface water quality discharging from
the site. So those were the ones I added. Um and it sounds like it was cut and dry. uh hopefully. But uh he will be joining us next meeting to really
>> get into the nitty-gritty. Yeah. And then at that time we could if if for some reason there was something that hasn't been disclosed yet, um >> we could add more. >> All right. >> So is there a vote needed at this time
to ratify? How do we how does that work? >> Yeah. >> So we um What what kind of language is needed for a move like that? Just the >> I think just move move to ratify the emergency certification >> for whatever it was.
>> It's 142 Mohawk Trail, the mobile station tank repair emergency certificate. I'll move to ratify the emergency certification uh for 142 Mohawk Trail mobile station tank repair emergency certification.
>> I'll second. Okay. Um so we'll start again with Erica online. >> I >> Travis I >> Emily I I am also an I. >> Okay. Um, up next we've got erosion on the Green River Bank at Green River
Conservation Area. Agent to update the commission with photos showing the bank erosion occurring at the Green River Conservation Area. >> Yes. So, this is just an update just to keep you guys updated. Um, you know, Wisty is doing all that work there and
has just noticed that the bank is washing away and she brought it up at the presentation. Um, >> whenever that was a few months ago, um, you know, there's the bank, it's all
Japanese notweed and the root balls are it's very irrated and it's just slowly chipping away. She mentioned at that meeting that there was a path that is no longer the path because we were talking about the locations of the trails
>> and um I was forwarded an email. She was reached out to Furcog because they're doing like a Green River action plan and she invited them to come see the erosion at the bank. >> Okay. >> So, um I can show you just some
pictures. Let me try to share my screen. Um, >> go to more. >> More. Thank you. >> Wait, why is it two though? >> This one. Okay,
great. Um, neat. Okay. Uh, so this there's about five. So this is just you can see my cursor. >> You can just see it's kind of chipping away. And I think this is actually a
fissure as well. And there's see and >> that's the water's edge right there. >> This is so it's >> this is the water. Yeah. And then this is the very very edge. And it's like these fissures are happening and then it
plops into the water. So, you know, that's probably like at least a foot >> from the edge where there's a fissure. >> How high is the bank here? >> You know what? I'm not I'm not totally sure actually. I'm not totally sure.
So, >> I've walked the area that she said there was a trail and it was actually like like a foot and a half. >> Yeah. It wasn't like right the I mean the water level changes right but um at
that time it was like a foot and a half. >> Is it possible to look at a map of um the area the conservation area so we can sort of roughly say where this activity is happening? >> Yeah. Let me see if um
I don't like not having my monitor. Um, why don't we do this and we'll do this is access GIS. Um, so here is the Green River
swimming area. So right here you cross the bridge down here and you walk across the picnic area and in here is where a lot of her work is done. >> And the part that I saw that I believe
these pictures are of >> is right here. >> Yeah. >> So this area is you can go back up a little bit >> like down or up. >> Yeah. down >> just what you're doing. That's fine. >> No, no, no.
>> that this area it's just it's a real um it's a problem, right? >> Yeah. >> So, the river comes down here. Sorry, point my finger. The water wants to do this. >> Yeah. >> Right. The fact that it takes like a
right angle, more than a right angle, >> just means that there's going to be a lot of um unpleasant pressures here. and and rivers want to do that. That's great. But we we don't, you know, nothing. So anyway, it just um it might
well be that there's a lot there's reasons why that area is where a lot. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, it's slowing down and there's, you know, it comes and hits here and then has to turn and so there might be a
lot of pressure. >> Oh, the backup. has it been. So this area would be really great for us as we do our Marshia planning to do some longterm planning in a larger way.
>> Sorry, sorry, I should have been using a a microphone. um this area it take it's such a it's a strange twist to the river and so much of it is um you know has structures on it and there's the you
know below there's the parking lot and there's the dam so it just it's an area where there's a lot of constriction to the river so I think that there's a lot of pressure in here on the areas heading into it where it takes these turns and
then um so I'm really not surprised when we deal with major issues of flooding or whatever, you know, it's just such a very unnatural situation here. >> Yeah. Because it >> that's comes Okay, thanks.
So, uh the current and the power of the water is coming really directly at that edge >> and then doing that and probably slamming into this. >> Yeah. >> Um >> and it's narrower here. Mhm. >> It's a bit large area and it's narrower
there. So, it it just get bottles gets bottled up there as well. >> Um and there's an area here that um can you go like a higher um >> one more out? >> Yeah. Yeah. There's this area >> up here
>> there. And I think that's where our our trail is up there. Like the one that's sort of crumbling. >> Yeah. So, because there's some there's some sort of higher Let's see. Because this is the Green River swim uh the Green River
Conservation Area >> and then up here is the kind of the furthest baseball diamond, >> right? >> And then if you went Yeah. Murphy part and if you went into the woods there, it's like a really steep ledge that's
eroding down. >> Yeah. And so my my suspicion is that it's all it's might be at least in part related to the dynamics of the river here because this spit that comes out >> it's pretty high. You know I think there's a high bank or whatever there.
It's not >> but >> it just seems like it's going to be under a lot of pressure from the river especially when there's floods. And so there might be some larger dynamics of the land that are what are you know making it so that our trails is going like >> yeah.
>> So I don't know if there's anything we can do per se >> but this is an area um that the planning board um is considering the um um flood uh zoning overlay um that was brought you know
>> the river quarter overlay. Yeah, there you go. >> River quarter overlay. Exactly. And you know, it could go over the whole of the Green River, but this area particularly might be an area where there could be some benefit if there was conservation or or there was, you know, just looking at some restoration work that might be
able to release some of the pressure that's going on. Um, and then we also have to just realize that the river is going to adjust. So, you know, if we think about, oh, well, we're losing right here where we're looking at it and we have these little fissures in the ground and then we try and shore it up
with stones, we're not changing the dynamics of the river. >> We're just trying to fight it. >> Yeah. >> And even I hate to say it, but even having the swimming area right there >> probably is a very um touchy issue because this is an area where the river
can adjust. It will want to, but we don't want it to because we have, you know, structures and we want to swim there. So, >> it's just an area. This is an area of river human conflict that um probably will, you know, have more problems over time,
>> right? Because the actual swimming area bank is a river and they have an open open order conditions to do >> like bank stabilization, >> which makes perfect sense. That's what needs to happen. It's a public facility, you know, all these things. But but
we're not we're just staving the problems. We're not changing it >> by doing that. That's all. >> Also, I was I was just going to add that I was looking at um aerial imagery from the '9s and then 2025 and you can really
see how far the river has moved over into the conservation area. And even like in the '9s, where the river was is where the outline of the parcel is. And now where the outline of the parcel shows where the river was, that's all
land now. So basically, you know, it's depositing sediment on the other bank and cutting away sediment from that bank. >> So um it's just a natural river process, I guess. And like I mean obviously it's impacted by you know all the imperous
surfaces that are in the watershed and everything like making flashier storms and all of that but um in one sense I feel like this is why it's important to have conservation areas next to rivers so that rivers can do their thing and
meander as they want to do and not come into conflict with you know I mean maybe they'll come into conflict with the trail but we can reroute a trail. um but not come into conflict with houses and then have to put you know uh concrete
and you know rip wrap and all that to protect buildings. We can just let the river be the river. So >> exactly >> I know it's unfortunate when you're doing a lot of work in the area and it's washing away but um >> I don't know I'd see as another like
what what can we do about it really? Yeah. >> And it's it's good. I mean, the the the the built um environment that it's coming into conflict with are baseball fields and a swimming area, and that's minimal. It's not people's homes. >> It's not a power plant like other parts
of town, you know, like it's it's things that maybe could be flooded and that's okay, you know, but but just thinking long term that exactly what you said, the river needs to go where the river needs to go. Well, like just the other
kind of added like layer on that is that the invasive Japanese knotweed has made it like an an unstable bank. And you know, what would this process look like if that was all like willow and things that are, you
know, supposed to be there and just more creating a more stable bank. And there are um you know natural um engineering structures that can be used to
um make the flow less um violent you know. >> Oh >> in terms of you can have stone you can have deflection of the flow so that like you were saying it is depositing there >> um and then eating out the other side. I
don't know that this is an area where that would make sense, but there could be larger structures of wood that would just really actually just make it slower, you know, that could yeah slow the flow at that area or maybe above it. Um and um so these are things that we
can explore as the river corridor action plan is created and and we'll be aware of it because people will come to us trying to do work on the rivers like um when the industrial museum came to us and they >> you know sort of had that emergency where they needed to put stone or else
the the bank would slip right near their their building. You know that's >> we're we're gonna hear about it. >> Yeah. While we're waiting on Elizabeth, can I share my screen and show how far the river has moved there? >> Yeah, it looks like Athena's storm is
now >> Yeah, it's now our storm. >> It was amazing because when she was saying that, nothing was happening. >> Yeah, it was like, >> maybe the rain will put out any >> residual embers from the fire. >> 90° heat wave. You know, that's a major
front. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, this is the 1990s black and white aerial. And you can see that the parcel lines in >> fuchsia or whatever that color is really lines up with the river. >> Um, and then if you look at 2025,
>> the river is all the way over here. >> Gosh. >> And now where it was river, that's all land. >> Yep. >> Um, and the river is really just cutting over here. >> So, that was 15 years. Did you say >> Well, it says '9s. It doesn't say what year exactly.
>> So that's like 30 years. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So we were just looking at 1990s aerials versus 2025 and where the river is moving. >> Um that would have been good to show that >> yeah planning board. This is one of the
things, one of the concepts that we talked about at the planning board was the river corridor itself and um you know the river wants to move but when you look historically and at the land forms you can see like you know the
shape of the valley or the natural bowl that's made with the the benches and the you know the terraces that are formed. So you can often find the area that the the river will move within >> and that is the area that is you know
it's best if you can do that where you can allow the river to adjust within it and not have structures and not have um >> uh bridges, roads, you know, construction points that are unnatural. >> Um and it is possible to map that and
then it'll do this within that. >> Yeah. Sounds like we're moving into one of our next business items. Maybe we should flow into that. Um, so the next item is the planning board meeting update. Franklin Regional Council of
Governments, Furcog with the Greenfield Planning Board on April 2nd to discuss the river corridor and the potential for a river corridor overlay district. The open task open space task force uh also presented their priority parcel conservation map at this meeting. the
agent and Emily Boss will provide a brief update to the commission on both topics of this meeting. >> Yeah. So, I um I I play I played a non-active role in this meeting because it was after hours
and I was um kind of in route places. So, I I don't have um super detailed update on the first part. Maybe you wanna >> I'd be happy to give a summary. >> Okay. Because I did listen to the second
part today. So I'm like way yeah I'm way more first part. >> Probably another useful item if we don't do it today maybe another meeting is to look over the maps that were shared with us. >> Um but but essentially um looking at the
updated FEMA layers which really are just the layers that we had before that are just you know digitized. Um, and then talking about um, and then looking at this concept of the river corridor, which uh, sounds like exactly the same thing, the flood plane and the corridor.
It's not exactly the same. And also, um, the FEMA maps aren't up to date, right? They don't actually cover what's flooding anymore. So, there has been analysis done by, um, river scientists working with Burkog. Nick Miller is from
field geology and so he he hopefully will talk with um the board at some point who um can give more of the um like the theoretical and the practical how it's calculated. But the overlay district is just what it sounds like.
You know there's the you know might be residential, agricultural, whatever kind of of um zoning is in place and then this is um mapped out in Greenfield. Somebody coming in? >> No, it's doing it thing. >> Haunted.
>> Um and the area along the river that is, you know, subject to flooding um would be um identified as an area where there should not be new development. If there's existing development, there's existing development. You know, there
are you can go the next step and do buyouts. You know, you can do development, that kind of thing. And there was a pretty natural divide that I sort of mentioned earlier where if you're looking at the northwestern part of town, there's farms out there. It's up to the mountains. You know, there's a
lot of area around the river and within the river corridor that is not developed that's pretty open. And then you look at the southeastern part and it's, you know, it's Deerfield Street. It's, you know, it's very, very, very densely developed along it. Um and so there was
a lot of concern. Um the planning board, you know, asked a lot of questions. Um of the Furcog staff about how do we handle that? You know, um is there some impact on the value of these properties? You know, they're going to have to get insurance that they wouldn't have been
required to otherwise or or maybe they would, but it would be, you know, um there just would be a lot of um potential concern. Um, so they're they're considering it basically. Um, and Burkog is going to come back I think in a month. Um, I work with Franklin
Land Trust and we're one of the entities that's working with Perkog on, you know, doing community engagement. Um, providing, you know, input and feedback on the plan that's created. Um, and so I
attended as well under that that ages. And um trying to think of what are the other questions? They had a lot. >> Remember one of the questions was about like precipitation patterns and how cuz the FEMA flood and maps are from 1980
and wondering how much like the trends have changed since 1980 >> to um understand you know what what the like flood risk was compared to
to those maps. But um there was also uh talk around how the river corridor was similar to the 500year flood plane. Um right >> there's some parallel lines with the
five the river corridor generally was bigger than um >> the FEMA >> generally yeah than the FEMA flood maps all around but um it similar it was most similar to the 500y year flood plane and
they were wondering I think why >> like the corridor was something that would be adopted if you know >> yeah we actually already have a bylaw in place about the um that relates to the flood plane. >> Yeah, >> that I'm not as familiar with. So, >> I'm not as familiar with the bylaw, but
I I think that it's around the 100year flood plane. >> Um I don't think we have any regulations or I I don't know. I actually don't know for sure, but I always hear it's like 100 100 every time anyone's talking about it. Um, so that was discussed
and um, there's going to be a follow-up meeting uh, for COG is going to come back with some of the like more more details. They wanted more details on >> and um, it was an interesting to be a fly on the wall because to just
hear how the planning board thinks about issues, you know, like what what types of things they consider. Um, and you know, we're all so focused on like the environmental ecological aspect and
so it was interesting to hear. >> Yeah. >> To get their input. >> Yeah. We're like, oh, let that bank erode away. Thank you. >> I'm curious if uh if I know it's a totally different thing, but if there
was any mention of like our, you know, riverfront area, how that kind of overlaps with all of those things as well. >> Yeah, we did talk about that. some of the maps that they shared had all these things superimposed, you know, and
>> so then you can see that there's the 200 foot riverfront resource area and then there's the flood plane and sometimes they overlap and sometimes they don't. So that that I think that would be great for us to be able to review the maps that Allison had shared. So maybe we can get those
>> that um >> Alison Gage shared some maps >> the priority maps or that the other woman was Andrea. >> Yeah, Andrea. I think I put something in our um because they provided this booklet for the
planning board. >> And let me just bring up uh here we go. So, a lot of a lot of this was also just like an educational like I think they're
starting kind of at the beginning. um with the understanding that not everybody may understand what a riverer is or understand how a river moves over time. And so this booklet um here I'll
share my screen. Um is is educational on kind of the concepts of river. >> I think one of the concepts that's tricky is you know the river is moving. So that's the channel that's moving. And then the river corridor is trying to get
out that larger area that I was talking about before within which the river itself dynamically moves. So um that was something that the planning board had questions about, you know, saying, okay, well, you know, the river's here now,
but it's going to move. If you're saying it's going to move, then why should you know why why does it matter if we know where the river corridor is? And it's it's not that the river the river corridor is something that you're sort of establishing as a a fairly set stable
part of a geography and then it's the channel within that that moves. So that's the >> that's what you want to be able to have that space for. >> Yeah. It's kind of like the river corridor is like if you take like a 10,000year view of the river like it
might fill in that whole thing eventually at some point. >> Exactly. And wiggle around with >> Yeah. wiggle around within it, >> but it'll always pretty much stay within that. >> Yeah, >> here we go. >> Okay, so let me uh
>> Oh, great. Thank you. >> Yeah. So >> Oh, wow. >> Um the riverfront, the jurisdictional 200 foot riverfront area is >> It's pouring here now. It's like >> Is it pouring? >> Dark as night. >> Got that just in time.
>> Yeah, I saw that. the beck of clouds coming in from over there. >> I know. You're like, I'll be right back. Yep. >> Um, so the riverfront area is in light green. >> The hundred-year flood plane, um, the female hundred-year flood plane is in
baby blue and the green river is in dark blue. And then the corridor is in black. So, what's not on here is the 500year flood plane. That was one of the things they asked to come back and see kind of how it all relates. But this is a very
interesting Yeah. >> picture because look how wide the quarter is compared to the hundred-year flood plane. >> Yeah. There's definitely >> and the hundred-year flood plane, the hundred-year floods with predictions are
likely to happen like every 10 years, every 20 years. So that's the area of inundation that we'll be getting much more frequently >> which makes this area concerning because it's already the riverfront area is already outside of that um corridor >> in a number of spots.
>> And so there you can see the interaction with the 200 foot >> and that you know that's a floating buffer basically that's going to move whatever the river channel does. Here is Here's the area that we were just looking at with the Green River swimming
area. >> Yeah. There you can see it's that that little peak that little like um triangle kind of point up >> right here. >> Yeah. I just like Oh, that's going to go away. >> Yep. >> You know, that's going to get pushed away by the river over time. Um,
>> and then that's the there's that sharp turn to the left >> and then that curve curl that that >> anytime you see like a right angle. Yeah. Um, where the the river is just rivers just don't want to do that. So, you're gonna have problems. >> Yeah.
>> Wow. >> Jinkies. >> Let's keep this meeting going a while. >> Yeah. Oh, for those of you watching online later, there is a massive rainstorm happening.
>> The wind is blowing. >> At least it'll put that fire out. >> Yes, I know. Yeah. >> Okay. Um and I believe oh this was okay so this is the northern part that has you know a lot of farmland
parcels um not a lot of development and >> and conservation land >> there's like three or four conservation parcels along the river throughout there >> this the green river is um an area that the department of fish and game has done a lot of conservation on there's APRs
there's farmland up there and then of course our land What's interesting is here, look how narrow everything is in this little part. >> That's like right near Highway 91. >> Yes. >> And then here's the downstream part
where everything's super narrow. >> The bike path runs. >> Yes. Yes. And then >> channelized right there. >> Um this is Miller's Meadow right here, right? >> Yep. I think so. >> Yep. That's it. Yep. That's for sure.
Um, so yeah, the bike path is like right there >> to the right. Um, and that's Yeah, that's that. This This part's interesting, too, where it enters the deerfield. >> Yeah.
>> Oh, cuz that's the >> the golf course, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's interesting because that whole thing could just boom. All right. So, that's the end of the booklet. Uh oh, this the second part of the the
update was for um the open space test force priority mapping which was I had to leave. Um that's why I listened to it today. Um it was really interesting actually. I
thought it was really great conversation. Um >> yeah, there's some really >> really great conversation planning board hit on that we hadn't thought of at all, >> you know, because this topic has come up a bunch >> and just to hear their input.
>> Yeah. >> That hadn't been broached yet for the many times we've brought it up. So anyway, they um they they just had a lot of questions. Um I'll get to the meat and potatoes over there.
Um, well, one, I think that at first glance the perception of the map was that it had a lot of green. And I don't think that for the for like an unseasoned eye that wasn't that was coming in fresh without
any sort of like background, it was reading as like all that land would be desired for conservation and not necessarily like, oh, that's a scoring so we could weed out the less desirable conser conservation wise. Um, and that
that was kind of alarming uh for for them to be like, well, if that's all conserved, >> what would the future of Greenfield be? >> You know, cuz we there would be nothing to grow. Yeah. >> And so that was, I thought, good
constructive feedback to to kind of rework the map in a way that wouldn't like scare people >> and would convey what they were trying to convey. Um, Um um
>> my response to that as we grow up, >> build some skies. >> Yeah. Yeah. And so there was um another member of the planning board was talking about smart growth strategies and building along like the corridors
uh meaning roads. um their version of corridors or roads. >> And um and there was discussion around how you know this when you're talking about conservation
with land ownership, it makes sense to use parcel boundaries. But that a giant parcel that is um well regardless of what it is you know farmland forest land it might only have a section like a
small section of it like less than an eighth even that might have triggered the waiting score of like a dark green status but it it shows you know so kind of broaching the topic of like what is the area of the land that we truly care
about for conservation? How do we differentiate that from the parcel as a whole and keep in mind like Greenfield's growth as as like populationwise, its
economic growth and also conservation. Uh anyway, so I I just thought it was it was great. And I think that um one of the topics that was talked about was that there was a a scheduled meeting
for the to show the public in on May 19th. So um I got the sense at the end of the meeting that there was a little bit of a like back to the drawing board to tweak things before. I don't know if that meeting is gonna get rescheduled or if
that's like the deadline to >> It hasn't been rescheduled yet. >> Okay. >> Um we are gonna meet again um soon. So I think we might talk again about how to present the mapping. I I just feel like I felt so grateful that
we'd been able to bring this to the board because we, you know, we've talked to the conservation commission, we talked to the wreck committee, but I think that our visions are so aligned in some ways that the planning board really just brought a whole different perspective um and more like what somebody who's
just like thinking about buying a house or, you know, whatever might be >> might be their view. So, um certainly I I think it would make sense. I'd want to see the maps with just the the resource areas mapped out rather than with the
parcels because I think it it might well be warping the perspective, you know, >> and then see the parcels on it like, oh, half of that's near the river that would make a lot of sense to conserve and then that still leaves a bunch of land that could be a house that's, you know, away from the river or something along those lines. Sean, yeah, it just ties right
back into the river corridor concept of like >> Yeah, >> there are these large parcels with just a fraction in the river corridor. So, if they have a project that they want to do, they have all this land that they could do the project and if they knew they were in the river corridor, they would locate it elsewhere.
>> Yeah. Um as far as development potential like if someone is owns a parcel that they plan to develop or you know selling a parcel so it can be developed keeping that development in you know it's like the whole
alternatives anal alternative analysis that you have to do in riverfront area keeping that development in an area that has the least impact and is still um great growth for green field but considering like conservation
top aspects as well. >> Um, so I think we'll probably do some revisions of the map and share that around again um to each of the committees, you know, to the commissions and boards. Oh, and the
other the last the final question I thought they was really interesting that they posed um was considering regulations that are already in place and you know if there's like restricted development in flood
planes and then there's restricted development on and near wetlands. How much of the identified um priority land that how much of that is already protected from these restrict
you know regulations >> um and kind of under so it was a lot of like renditions of maps that could be made >> y >> but super interesting. >> Yeah. So that's the end of the update on that.
>> Okay. Erica. >> No. Okay. Uh, in that case, we shall move on to our um our last item, which is the Grisswald Conservation Area Presentation follow-up discussion commission to discuss updating the
forest management plan that expires this year considering the presentation from the Conservation Commission meeting Janu meeting on January 27th, 2026. Uh, we've allocated 45 minutes for this conversation and it is now 7:30. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Well, it could always be less.
>> Yeah. Absolutely. Um, just this afternoon I sent a draft proposal for some because we I had I think I floated the idea to you folks about doing workshops on the property as a as a leadup to the um doing the plan rather
than doing a plan and then doing workshops because that I've seen in other communities that it can cause a lot of conflict if people say, "Wait a minute, you didn't ask us if you if we could do a harvest." you know, like we don't want you to cut air near this trail we love. >> Um, so it just seems like a really nice
opportunity. >> Um, and so I did it's it's very draft form right now, but I'm happy to circulate it. Well, no, I did essentially >> You circulated it? Yes. >> Yeah. Y I meant to say this is a lot of
work. Thank you for doing that. >> Yeah, I printed it. That was as And I got I got some highlights on there as far as >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I um included you know various resources. I shared this with Patty O'Neal as well who had been on the walk and she shared some other
you know potential presenters or whatever. And this is, you know, proposed topics is obviously there's many more we could do. And I had figured that maybe we would plan on four that seemed really really key to us and then
have that have the potential for more, but really have those be led by whatever people are interested in. like if we have people on walks ask a lot of questions about something or if we're doing some outreach to the community and there's a lot of you know desire for a
particular thing. um as a sort of a we're not just throwing it open to saying what do you want community because they don't necessarily know >> but if there's some structure you know there's some things that we just want to communicate to give people a grounding in it and then from there we can provide
some options and um all these things would be not a big lift for any of us you know and I'd be I'd be happy to be lead continue to work on this and like you know find dates and contact presenters um as well as facilitate with the
process of doing whatever grant um application there's the community forestry grant from service forestry which is available and that does ask for 20 75 25% match but Griswald has some funds so and none
of these things would be very expensive you know >> like the most expensive would be like if we did we're able to get people from Ceres to come out I think they're based in New York state >> but They I've heard they're highly recommended. They do really interesting work on like pollinators and forests and
>> and there's there's one who's working in New Hampshire as well. I'm not not sure where she's based out of, but >> yeah. Yeah. So maybe there's some other closer folks we could work with. >> Um and so maybe travel funds >> um for folks who are coming from far
away. Um and then um maybe some light refreshments, you know, it's warm or whatever. we can have some apple cider or but then um doing an honorarium for a speaker if they're not publicly like if they're work for any of the state agencies they're not going to be able to
be paid. Um but if they're a private contractor or you know a local environmental consultant then $100 or $150 or something is a is a respectable thing to do. So So that's my that's my
pitch for this. And then um in terms of Griswald overall, I feel like our big priority really is to just look through and get a very like detailed list of what the needs are for maintenance and update, you know, what
we can do to um better the resources that are already there, like putting the native plant signs in the right spot. Like I know you've done some of this already. >> Um >> yeah, not the signs though. I don't know if I'd know like we could just do it in an afternoon and like we'd get enough
people there who we could figure it out. That wouldn't be a big deal. >> Okay. >> Um redoing the interpretive walk. I think that would be a great project for a grad student or you know like somebody who wanted to do an independent project and would just do the research and because it's you know it's not that
long. >> Yeah. >> But that would be a nice portfolio piece for somebody and would be a real benefit to us. >> Right. Yeah. Um and uh oh and the the more important things are the infrastructure. So like the rotting boards on that boardwalk and
>> any other things um you know maybe making it so that people don't go through the wetland area like rocks or you know better signage. >> So and any fallen trees that are hanging over the >> Yes. There's one that just like makes it so you can't go on a portion of
>> Well, and the ones that are like caught up above are a little nerve-wracking. >> Yeah. a widowmakers. >> Have you been on it lately? >> Not recently, but yeah, >> because I did that walk whenever that was like last year. And I contacted the
DPW about the trees and they responded very quickly and was like, "Oh, we'll get out there >> on this day." Um, so I am curious because I didn't >> hear that they did it. Um, I am curious
if those trees that you've identified when you went out were the same >> above, >> but there was one big one that had fallen that had cut off the >> Was that was it when you do the trail in the beginning and you go by that meadow and then over the little creek and then
up the slope a little bit before you hit a hard right. Was it there? >> No, it was further along in our walk. It was okay cuz there was one right there and that >> so if it wasn't there that means that DPW got it. >> I think DPW >> That's awesome. >> Okay.
>> But there were so many storms and winds and >> it's inevitable. >> It's just going to keep happening. >> Yeah. >> So, um so in terms of the stewardship of the property, I just think we just need to like to get our list and start picking away at what we can do. Um, and
then set our long-term goals in terms of the interpretive signs. Um, and then if we can get a process of good community engagement, um, and ourselves sort of think about what we would like to see.
You know, we're just a a few people, you know, representing all the other people who've been on the KCOM all the years, but we're the ones who are here now. Um and then once we have a plan, you know, we could do the application for the community forestry grant starting
after the end of this fiscal year because the funds are already spoken for this year. um but July or August we could, you know, get approved for it and then so we could be working with a forester in the fall to um or I'm sorry, we could be working with somebody later in the year
to do the plan after we've done these events and done whatever we do to gather input and then um and we can even, you know, a lot of times when you get a forest management plan, you go out there, they do the inventory, they give you the prescriptions, and then you get
it, boom, there it is. this is public land, you know, we don't want to just have them tell us, you know, like these are the things. We could have them give us a draft, you know, we could say these are the things that we've identified that seem that based on this professional's input are
recommended and then we could go back and do more public engagement and say based on the walks and the input that we got, you know, these are the outcomes. you know, it as a forester, I see this as a wonderful opportunity to help educate people about what goes into a
forest management plan, how those choices are made. Um, and also like really take seriously whatever people express as being their most highest, you know, desires and goals and values about this property. Um, and so then we could,
if we need to, you know, work with that forester a bit more to tweak that plan. Um so um so any that's it's um just a nice opportunity to be here while we're doing this process. And since Griswald
already has so much management history and there's so much work that's been done there, it's a really great property to really engage with and think about what what people might want to do there. Um it's not like a pristine property that's never been managed. It's not it's
not one that's in bad shape that needs to be like take massive invasives out. You know, there is invasives there, but there's been work done. So, we're at the point where, you know, the community tending that Patty O'Neal talked about is a possibility. You know, there could
be people going in there and tending raspberry vines. You know, there if we wanted to work with an indigenous community who had some interest in the property, very viable, very possible. um Lincoln and the conservation commissions of Yore have done wonderful work tending
the health of that forest and it's got a nice um set of trails and access. So it's it's really a a lovely opportunity to keep improving how the community benefits from it and wetland >> storms.
So anyway, I've talked enough. I don't know if anybody has questions or comments or thoughts about all this stuff. >> So, I guess my question is when does the current um plan expire? And given the amount of time that we are suggesting to
put into developing the new plan, is there any issue um if there's a lapse in planning new plans? Okay. If you uh if you're a private forest land owner and your land your forest land or farmland
is enrolled in chapter 61 and you allow your forest management plan to lapse after the 10 years has expired then that can threaten your current your current use your chapter 61 enrollment. Okay, >> which would mean that there could be some tax penalties.
We're a public entity with the the city um stewarding property that we own that's conserved. So, it's a good practice to to have a 10-year plan reertified, but it is not there's no
deadline. >> There's no taxing. >> If we needed to not do it right this second, then we could wait. Okay. >> Um, and then I did speak with some of the staff that oversee the community forestry program and they said because the plan is expiring this year that
would it ideally for this kind of outreach you want to be able to have a plan in place for the property, >> but it extends through like there might be a a cut off date. You know, the plans are initiated on a given date within the year. So it might expire in May or
September or December, whatever it was, but it would be within tolerances. Okay. >> Um so they didn't think that would be any any barrier to us in um getting the community forestry grant. >> It expires mid November of this year.
>> Okay, perfect. Do you guys want to talk about like the date range of these ideas? >> Sure. >> Yeah. And are there any that looked better or worse to you?
>> Do you have access to it? >> Erica, what do you think? You've been out there. You've you've been part of the history of managing this property. Yeah. Well, I don't know about part of the managing, but um well well before before not not on on
talking about your specific back on the the uh now that I've read the the the forestry plan which I had done before before Lincoln came. >> Do we know which ones of the goals were actually completed? >> Because I know in the 2007 it said
something about clearing the vista and then in 200 16 or whatever it said, "Yeah, we haven't done that yet. We should do that." And so, has that, you know, has that, you know, has that been done? There was something else they were talking about in another area where they were saying, "We really should bush hog
this before it gets too big and then we, you know, the trees are too big, we can't do it." And >> um >> No, that's a great point. That'd be a great place to start is to look through and assess that. >> Yeah. If the go if the previous goals have been completed or not. >> Yeah. that didn't come up on your walk
at all. >> No. Well, we did talk about some of the things. Um, we certainly talked about the vista and honestly the the trees beyond the there's so many trees in the landscape that the vista is not a vista anymore,
right? You know, but like >> go pretty far out there. It's not like it's just a hill and there's a couple of trees. It's like, oh, those are really tall trees out there now. So, um, but there might be Yeah, I was gonna say it sound like that was his point back in 2007 that if we
don't do something now then it's going to be yes, >> you know, it's gonna grow up and then it's going to be too late kind of. >> But then it's really important. I mean, that's part of the reason why these plans are only 10 years long is because you want to have that check and say, "Oh, well, it was really important to us
to have a vista here 20 years ago. >> Is that still the most important thing?" Or given climate change, are we actually really okay with keeping those tall oaks out there? Yeah. >> And maybe, you know, we don't we can't see as far, but those are doing a really
important job of of, you know, storing and sequestering carbon. So, what what's more important right now? >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, as far and as far as your list of going on, I I one of the ones that I that I really was kind of like close to
me is is the adaptability adaptive ones. We're have making it making accessible to everybody. Um >> yes, >> you know, we don't I don't know if we really have too many places in Greenfield that that have that. And I've worked with I
have some friends and I've worked with people and that that's important. Um, so that one definitely kind of stuck out to me. So, >> is this the best parcel to develop accessibility um, trails, for example, or do we have
others that are already more accessible in terms of getting to them that we would then prioritize that accessibility? >> I guess there's different kinds of definition of accessibility here. >> Yeah. So in terms of accessibility to
the public, this is not on a public route. >> So there's you can't take a bus here, >> right? >> But the the landing is very flat and the the initial like little loop that goes out to near where the field is is pretty level.
>> So there are some I at least Lincoln had said that there had been discussion of having an accessible trail loop like a small sub loop there. >> But I don't know how it ranks in terms of the other properties. I think that's a really important question. You know, looking at Kriswald in isolation also
isn't the right way to go. You know, like we want to learn more about the land there and then we want to think about our plan our goals overall on the property. So, >> that's true. So, does it but does if a trail is accessible, does that mean it's paved
>> or there's floating um I'm thinking about like places I've been in um Florida actually, Erica, that are are are actually quite accessible and they have I'm calling it floating, but I'm not sure if that's entirely the right way to put it, but they're built up off
of the land itself, but they go through um you know, like in the glades they have these >> like boardwalks like like boardwalks kind of or Yeah. Yeah. And I and I think that's a really great thing to consider for some of these um sites so that we can actually increase the actual
physical accessibility to those folks who have um who who have mobility concerns. >> Yeah. >> But but your point about the bus is kind of what I was getting at is like >> Yeah, that's true. Yeah.
>> There might be more localized ones that might be better. >> Well, I think Miller's Meadow would be >> Oh, yeah. you know, so close to town and >> the bike trails right there, too. So, it could be like a double. >> It is a very flat area. Yeah.
>> Yeah. And it's flat. That's why I was wondering about just like paved, you know? I think the boardwalks make so much sense in Florida because it's so wet. Mhm. But >> I guess I was just shying away from the pave because of the impervious surface >> aspect.
>> Whereas those boardwalks um especially if you I think it's it called Tyvec. >> It seems material that looks like 2x4s but it's not and it doesn't like a >> 2x4 breaks down. Yeah. They make decks out of it. Yes.
>> Yeah. Actually my deck has Yeah. Um, so there, so the goal was to have four chosen topics. >> Yeah, I that's the number that seems good to me. >> I like the history one. I think that's
really interesting. >> Yeah, that was another one I thought was really good. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think I think we definitely want to do the history one no matter what because that just >> it'd be it grounds people like we talked about how even we don't have that much that's written up about the history of
it. You know, Lincoln's oral history of it was pretty valuable because he's involved with the management of it for so long. I was looking through some of the articles that are on our drive and those are kind of interesting, but it's still it's just a little little piece of the puzzle. >> So that's why I thought it would be
great to have somebody from the historical society Mhm. >> Um I have a friend who used to work with them who is very knowledgeable and I'm sure that there's plenty of people >> who could give us the history. You know, >> there's lots of people can tell us about the history of Tap and Die. And then
>> the Griswald family members still live near there. Many of the the neighbors are Griswalds. >> So it'd be really neat to like >> We know we know a couple of them. >> Yeah. >> Pretty well. >> Exactly. Exactly. So it'd be lovely. you
know, it it'd be really nice to be able to sort of recapture that um history. Uh it's a wonderful gift that's been made by that, you know, the family and organization to the the city. So, >> I think given that our goal is to
solicit feedback for the plan, the history makes sense. And I think the idea of really digging into some of the climate piece >> and um also other things that are are um land use oriented. And so you mentioned working
with the indigenous uh communities. I think that would be a really important piece to work on. Um I personally love the idea of a tree and plant ID. Um and I I'm not sure um I I guess I I I wouldn't rank that as higher in a priority even though
personally I would totally dig it. um just because I don't know that it would really for forward the goal of creating the um >> the plan >> the plan unless we're talking about invasive species management in which case then that would be um
>> it'd be really neat to engage people in that process like I I would think it'd be nice to do some inventories as well of like native species >> because that's one of the focuses of the property and the interpretive materials on it um and invasive species as well. So, I mean, there are some community
like citizen science stuff that could be done >> and birds, you know, there's been habit bird habitat management done on the property. Um, there's that chestnut that's been planted. So it um I think that there could be different
types of events like having people come out, you know, historians, foresters, other specialists sort of do a lecture in a walk >> is one thing that I think would lead directly to the management plan. And then I I think this whole other set of
like, you know, tree ID and, you know, learn about the the trees on the property or learn about the native um shrubs and stuff that have been planted there. And um that's a whole another level of community engagement that's
just just purely like enjoying the land. And I that's something that we could do, you know, on into the future, you know, like it'd be really lovely to just have um events at Griswald and the other properties that are, you know, we can partner with the land trusts in the
area. We can partner with CRC, Franklin Land Trust, Mount Grace. You know, there's a lot of ways where we could just have some more um content focused stuff happening >> to keep people engaged with land. So again, don't want to spend it
dollars, but a lot of this stuff could be done very simply. >> That kind that kind of stuff I think really would be is popular with people. I think when we when they did the chest we got the chestnuts trees from some ch which I forget which chestnut organization but
somehow it was like Lincoln and a couple and they advertised it where there's like a dozen people on the you know who went out there and watched them plant it and were you know very excited about so I mean I think people I think people know they would be you know really
interested in doing things like that so um maybe maybe the management plan will help just get a little more motivated to keep keep that kind of stuff going. >> Yeah. >> And um and I want to make sure not to
take like a foresters eye view solely. I really want it to be a community-based plan. So that because you know some people might not be crazy about the idea of cutting down trees to make local wood products. That's that gets me really excited. But you know, but I think I
think having an educational opportunity around that subject will help people understand the importance and the benefit that could come from not just not just the the the byproducts of it, but like the the impact that it has in the biology of the space. >> Exactly. >> Right. And yeah, explain the process
that it's not just clear cutting that it's selective, you know. And if we have some goals, like if we wanted to make benches or signs out of the wood for our conservation properties and then we're harvesting it for that purpose and it's going to have good wildlife habitat
impact, then you know there might be ways to make argument for doing everything all at once. >> That might be cool. >> That's such a cool idea. >> Be nice. >> And I bet there's I was I was gonna say I bet there's community people who love to do carpentry or whatever and make the
benches. Um, >> what if we got the wood for the kiosk from Brisbane? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> And you know the new conservation area when we get it together for trails. I mean that it's like we'll need benches.
>> Yeah. Exactly. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> There's a lovely mill just in Gil. you know, we could work with local sawmillers and sawers and >> you know, so then we're supporting the community as well.
>> Cool. All right. So, sounds like history, um, accessible trails and recreation. Uh, maybe indigenous coast stewardship, climate change. >> Good set. >> Could you repeat that again?
>> Sure. History uh trail and recreation and accessible recreation. Okay. >> Um and then possibly indigenous stewardship, co- stewardship. >> I think that and climate change go hand in hand myself. >> Yeah, it'd be great. There's actually
some folks that um like there's a forester I know who's working with some of the um indigenous nonprofits around. So, that'd be a really nice thing to do together. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then um >> that makes sense because we're already working with Schlom about the other
property and maybe you know expanding in town and >> Okay. So that's three. >> Did you say one more after that? >> No, we could pick one more. I had those as separate um >> topics. >> The
did were we leaning towards the invasive and native species stuff? >> That would be good for this property because work done >> on both of those issues. >> I think that's a good way to get us to the goal of potentially having an invasive species management plan within that.
>> Yeah, absolutely. And I like the pairing of the native and the invasives because often you do >> Yeah. >> But like looking at it together, it might be >> whole system. >> Yeah. >> And it might be good on this property because the invasives haven't completely
obliterated everything else so far. So before it happens, I mean, >> get it before it gets to like >> Yeah. >> been taken care of. I don't think I'm totally grasping what the trails
walk would be like talking about. >> Me too. >> Bringing out somebody who works on trails could give us feedback or just talk about like how the trails are arranged right now. There's some issues with some of the trails. Some of the trails run alongside private property
that's farmed or has been >> or >> Yeah. And so there's some complex So maybe reciting those would be better. The potential of doing an accessible trail near the um the parking lot. >> So that'd be great to get that, you
know, someone's input on that. Um, and then, you know, I've been to talks where people have talked about different ways you can just arrange things on the trail so that it it it helps more people. Like having um having something along the
edges can be helpful if if someone's blind, >> you know, so that there's like a more defined line. >> They've got something like that at the cape. It's like a rope. It's a short it's a short um >> loop, but it's got, you know, posts and a rope along the way. And then they've
got um rail um signage and Yeah, exactly. >> So um so there's different ways that we could look like our trail right now are perfectly fine. There's some really lovely access, but there might be ways that they could be improved so that more
people could take advantage of them. >> So it's like an evaluation turned into an educational >> probably would probably want to have the person come out and look at the land beforehand. >> Yeah. and then talk with us maybe so we're not like be surprised by it and
then give some, you know, like an overview and pick some areas to walk in that would be useful for the community. Um, and then I think probably behooves us to think about if we can do any of the little like, you know, fixing or or
like having a plan for fixing the boardwalk yet before we bring people out. Um Brent SW who's on the open space task force uh had a friend who sent her pictures of our boardwalk with the broken boards and stuff and and was like
you guys can fix this and I'm like we really are trying. >> I feel like this is one of those things that we're going to have to tackle this regardless of whether or not we get public feedback on it like in terms of like whether or not our trails. So I I almost feel like that's something that
we should just do as a part of this um rehabilitation of the plan part. Absolutely. Um >> which would give us the opportunity to incorporate something um in in the community outreach aspect >> um that we wouldn't necessarily be or
that we would be we would want feedback on a little bit that would be >> more bang for the buck. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because I I feel like the the moving the trails off the private land or away from the edge of the private land and fixing the boardwalks like that's we just got to do that.
>> Yeah. >> Right. Um, and so I think it might be a more robust conversation with the community to have a conversation around um, you know, what what were the things that we >> What about bird like bird a bird walk because there's like people are
>> love it >> bananas over bird >> and if it's like already the land has already been managed with bird habitat, there could be a really cool conversation around like how it's changed. >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, that'd be great.
>> I think that would be a more engaging um Okay. rather than rather right because I I feel like the trails would be something we would do. Okay. And that's what I'm thinking. Yeah. Okay, that makes sense. That makes sense. >> Okay. So, the bird would be like the kind of the wildlife
>> topic. >> So, I think what I that makes sense. So how probably we should pitch this application for the funding is that we are trying to do a very like robust process for our education for the next
steps for the property and for community engagement. And so community engagement might be like helping them learn about the history of the management here and learning about forest management at all. Like I'd love to have that be one of the content of what we do. that's just so
foreign to so most people it'd be really lovely to have like some of the basics be part of what we educate people on. Um but then also we just want to do things that they're going to be excited about. you know, tree ID, >> bird blocks, you know, absolutely those will have things that help fe educate
people about the property and the land so that then when they talk to us about what they want to be in the management plan, it'll be a a more like informed conversation, but some of them we want to have it be specifically like really
this is something that we would want to do like invasives and natives, that kind of thing. So, >> um that sounds great. and and then also we want to have um professionals help us learn and assess the property for the changes. So I think all of those things
would be I think I believe that all those things could be fun and we'll just find out. But um that'd be so great. Oh, so exciting. I love it. >> Great. >> And then it's fine that we have some topics that we're not hitting on because I think it'd be great. I do would like
to have a few that are absolutely like led by the community and there might be things that we're not thinking about right now. You know, they might want to know about like >> oxes, I don't know, or uh turtles, you know, like there might be some specific things that rise up um about how people
interact with the property that could really lead that. >> Well, and not tackling all of them in one shot gives us the opportunity to have continuous programming through the years to keep people engaged in the process. Yeah, exactly. >> And this is just Griswald, but I'd
really love to do this kind of >> engagement and planning for the other properties that we steward as well >> as appropriate or >> as it comes. Yeah, >> I just want to say I'm glad there's new enthusiasm for doing all this because I
feel like I tried um to start this whole process for to work on the trails just specifically like even just where there's wet areas and trying to like fix those. And there's like you know when you go in on that main trail and you cross that
little intermittent stream and then there's like this huge deep wet area. And we learned that it sounded like at one point they just like dumped a bunch of like crushed stone there and >> and then like the dirt and then had like
dirt on top of that and like it worked great for like a long time and then eventually it's just kind of like worn away. So, um, we were talking about maybe doing that again, like maybe just add some more stone to that and, you know, some of the other areas like maybe putting in like little like stepping
stone things to get through when it's like really wet and kind of hard to evaluate this past year with like the drought and everything. I think things are a lot drier and um not the same conditions as what we were looking at before, but um we got pretty far down
that line a few years ago and then it all just kind of petered out and we never actually did anything. So, >> well, >> let's let's uh circle back around your great ideas and >> well, I'm not trying to claim it as my idea, but I'm just saying that I uh I
feel like I got burnt out when nothing happened and so now I'm glad >> there's renewed enthusiasm. >> I I'm just curious about like what is the process for the trail work part, right? Because the boards on the
boardwalk, I feel like I could come up with a creative solution for that because I'm married to a woodworker. >> I mean, for that, one of us could just go out there with some boards and screwing boards on. That's all it would take. >> Buying the 2x4s and just cutting them
the appropriate length. >> Yeah. >> And um >> I feel like I could like I could do that, but like >> crush stone, >> you know? like placements of large logs. Like
that's getting kind of outside my >> How do you >> This is where we talked to Ella >> and help figure out what um you know, how much of this should we pl be planning to contract out? How much of this would be DPW? >> Yeah.
>> Um DPW's capacity is really low right now. Yeah, they're really tapped out. >> Yeah, they're tapped out. So, >> I would say I wouldn't count on DPW for not not because of them that anything's wrong with them, just Yeah, they don't have the capacity. And I know >> Sorry, go ahead.
>> Oh, I I was just going to say I know at um uh Highland Park uh they just had uh trail maintenance, you know, they hired out. >> That was um the Aderandac Mountain Club. Am I saying that right?
The Appalachian Mountain Club. AMC. Yeah. >> Yeah. Was it like a student team or something or >> It was youth youthful people. >> I actually don't think it was youth. I think they were just younger than
>> And they all seem younger every year, don't they? >> They built like, you know, punchins and, you know, things over. >> So, and I think it was like $5,000 because it was CPA money that they used for that. Well, unfortunately, we can't use CPA money, but
>> Yeah. And water bars. Yes. And And they cranked it out in like less than a week. >> Yeah. >> That's awesome. >> But it does seem that the first stop could be to the DPW just in terms of like what could you possibly do and then
go from there. Um, >> could be. >> Yeah. So, if we like had a better list, I mean, I have a list from your presentation. Yeah, >> I compiled that list. But yeah, I guess another site visit was really >> and I didn't go in like fine detail, you
know, we just sort of generally identified areas >> need and I'll just say in the past we were also reaching out to like boy scouts and like the tech school and you know see if anyone wanted to like do a project, >> right? >> Unfortunately, it never went anywhere
but um those are other possibilities as well. Yeah, because I because you know Peter Wagner knackle, he's got that youth group, the climate youth group and I don't know if they're I mean they're super busy with Miller's
Meadow, but I don't know how it works with him. Like how does he find new gigs to to work with the youth on? >> So maybe that's an avenue too of like a potential crew that'd be interested in I don't know exactly his niche though, if
it's like trail work or if it's really just like like landscaping kind of projects. >> Yeah. >> Um and then the other part is that if anything's near a resource area, we also need to file >> in front of ourselves. File to
ourselves. >> Yeah. So, the boardwalk that requires a board replacement, would that need an because I mean we're not removing >> would we do an RDA and then there would be no >> doesn't remove change to the
>> I would say if we want to be the most uh >> above board. >> Yeah, the most above board. Uh we could do like an RDA, but I mean to me I if as long as there's no ground disturbance >> there's because the whole thing is if remove fill dredge and alter
>> right. So if we're not doing any of those things >> Yeah. But that's where like if there was like crushed stone going in or like a trail being dug up and that was within 200 feet of a stream or whatever
>> or if there was some kind of um accessible trail project, >> right? Mhm. >> than any of those things. >> Or if we took out that boardwalk bridge thing and put a new one in, then that would >> But I think it was just above, you know,
>> it was so dry when we were there that it was funny because the boardwalk was just in the middle of the ground. Why is it there? Wow. That's a good time to work on it. Great. So, next steps. Um, maybe I'll rework this with that all in mind. Um, I
wanted to do a little semi-budget. Um, and um, and then we can start a punch list basically for the the the um the maintenance needs. Mhm. >> And and let's let's float the idea of using some wood from um Griswald for the
kiosk when Athena does that. I think that'd be neat. >> What? Sorry. >> If they're going to build a kiosk at Miller's Meta, >> maybe we can >> now sort of like float the idea of using some wood from Griswald. >> Okay. >> Probably wouldn't even need to be that
much for, you know, kiosk. >> Yeah. And I mean, it has an educational like graphic in it and it could have a little like this kiosk was built with, you know. >> Yeah. >> Something like on like that. >> I think you have a little little sign
over at the stump over in Griswald saying the wood from here was used over like that. >> Uh, okay. So, should I put this on our next meeting agenda for
>> Yeah, because we want to maybe schedule some of the meetings and and we should >> get ready to do the application uh in the summer. So, >> Okay, >> sounds good. And then um we can also
we could also apply for funds for the plan itself, get those lined up and allocated for the next fiscal year and just let Toby Carter um know that we would be interested in doing it so we could just be on his calendar.
>> And I'm happy to do the leg work to find the professionals too because it fits so nicely with what I you do. >> That's what you do. Yeah. >> Great. >> All right, guys. I think the storm has wrapped up, >> right? Well, in that case,
>> no further commentary. >> Um, make sure we hit all the agenda items. There's no updates on um the
placeholders. Yes, no updates on the uh open enforcement orders and also no updates on open order of conditions. >> Great.
Uh, in that case, our next meeting in the Greenfield Conservation Commission will occur Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. And with that, can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> I move to adjourn. >> And a second.
>> Second. All right. Uh, starting with Erica. >> Hi, >> Travis. >> I, >> Emily, >> I. >> I'm also an I. Okay, let me >> see you next time. >> Nice to see you.
>> Enjoy.