Commission plans Old Home Days booth, property walks and invasive-species work

The commission agreed to staff a booth at Old Home Days (Sept. 18–19), with members recommending an eye-catching map of conserved parcels and short handouts listing “five things to do” on local conservation land. Members volunteered to reserve the booth and suggested interactive features for visitors, including marking properties on a large map and distributing low-cost giveaways such as mosquito dunks or daffodil bulbs.

Chair emphasized the public-relations value: the booth is intended to show residents what conservation has accomplished without raising property taxes. Members discussed making a tabloid-size map, adding short parcel histories and simple guidance on permitted uses (e.g., where horseback riding is allowed) and safety reminders about hunting seasons and wearing orange.

On operations, staff reported contractor Eric Radloff had begun invasive-species treatments on multiple parcels (legal/permit work and mechanical/chemical treatment), and members confirmed the treatment program is in motion while quotes and final permitting are completed. Members also discussed installing kestrel (bird) boxes at additional locations and scheduling property-monitoring walks in August for several parcels that have not been visited in years.

The commission assigned follow-up tasks: finalize booth materials and a champion for the display, confirm invasive-treatment contracts and permits with Eric Radloff, and publish dates for property walks so volunteers and neighbors are informed.

The commission did not take formal votes on the outreach or invasive contracts at this meeting; members recorded direction to staff to proceed with procurement steps and outreach planning.