Land Stewardship Plan Update Environmental Commission Open Space-Farmland Preservation Committee Joint Session – July 28, 2008

New Land Management Team Approved! We need an all-volunteer group, the Land Management Team (LMT), to use machinery (e.g. mowers, tractors) and power tools (e.g. chain saws, weed wackers) to help manage our Twp owned lands if we are to meet any of our goals. Pane, Stanbury and Mantz have worked with the Twp insurer to develop an appropriate process for this to occur. The EC/OSFP simply need to agree to a plan, list the volunteers and their tools and submit them to Pane, Stanbury & Mantz to keep on file. Mantz will determine if a 30 minute safety briefing is in order, will give the briefing and/or certify each volunteer on the list for the Twp insurer. A “Hold Harmless” release will also need to be signed by all volunteers. Both release and certification will be good for 1 year. Stanbury will keep the plan, list of volunteers and their tools and releases on file in case any residents call in or other inquiries are made.

We need an all-volunteer group, the Land Management Team (LMT), to use machinery (e.g. mowers, tractors) and power tools (e.g. chain saws, weed wackers) to help manage our Twp owned lands if we are to meet any of our goals.

Pane, Stanbury and Mantz have worked with the Twp insurer to develop an appropriate process for this to occur.

The EC/OSFP simply need to agree to a plan, list the volunteers and their tools and submit them to Pane, Stanbury & Mantz to keep on file.

Mantz will determine if a 30 minute safety briefing is in order, will give the briefing and/or certify each volunteer on the list for the Twp insurer. A “Hold Harmless” release will also need to be signed by all volunteers. Both release and certification will be good for 1 year.

Stanbury will keep the plan, list of volunteers and their tools and releases on file in case any residents call in or other inquiries are made.

Land Management Team Who else would like to join?! NAME AREA OF INTEREST TOOLS STATUS Franzonia, Tony Land restoration Mower, tractor, bush hog, chainsaw, 4x4 Signed release 2008 Needs safety cert. Franzonia, Wendy Land restoration, beautification Chainsaw, weed wacker, 4x4 Signed release 2008 Needs safety cert. Gibson, Jon Land restoration Mower, tractor, brush hog, chainsaw, weed wacker, auger Signed release 2008 Needs safety cert. Hatch, Kim Land restoration, beautification Weed wacker, 4x4 Signed release 2008 Needs safety cert. Parker, Whit Land restoration Mower, tractor, brush hog, chainsaw, weed wacker, auger, seed drum Signed release 2008 Needs safety cert. Rodgers, Walt Land restoration Tractor, 4x4 Needs release & safety cert.

Scope of 2008 Land Stewardship Plan Robert J. Stahl Natural Area (“Stahl”) Black River / Millhouse property (“BR/MH”) Township treescape Town Hall beautification Trail signage – proposed styles

Robert J. Stahl Natural Area (“Stahl”)

Black River / Millhouse property (“BR/MH”)

Township treescape

Town Hall beautification

Trail signage – proposed styles

Stahl Restoration: 2008 Goals Seeded with native grasses & wildflowers Hedge cleared except mature specimens Equestrian & hiking nature trails marked Trailheads / kiosks with signage added Not Shown: Bluebird, wood duck, kestrel & bat boxes cleaned Education program started with schoolkids Scouts asked to help with trail clearing (south) Fall Fest Nature Hike in partnership with NJCF Work with NRCS for new WHIP contract Map is approximate & not shown to scale

Seeded with native grasses & wildflowers

Hedge cleared except mature specimens

Equestrian & hiking nature trails marked

Trailheads / kiosks with signage added

Not Shown:

Bluebird, wood duck, kestrel & bat boxes cleaned

Education program started with schoolkids

Scouts asked to help with trail clearing (south)

Fall Fest Nature Hike in partnership with NJCF

Work with NRCS for new WHIP contract

Stahl Restoration: Interim Status Portion of hedge cleared by hand Half of the trails on the property have been cleared and marked with pink tape (trails in white on map already exist) Adjusted southern trail plan based on URWA recommendations Reduced size of mow/seed plan for Field A based on NJAS recommendations Lessons Learned: Need to do much of this work earlier in spring and/or in fall/winter for better volunteer turnout (less scheduling conflicts) Need mechanized assistance Map is approximate & not shown to scale A

Portion of hedge cleared by hand

Half of the trails on the property have been cleared and marked with pink tape (trails in white on map already exist)

Adjusted southern trail plan based on URWA recommendations

Reduced size of mow/seed plan for Field A based on NJAS recommendations

Lessons Learned:

Need to do much of this work earlier in spring and/or in fall/winter for better volunteer turnout (less scheduling conflicts)

Need mechanized assistance

Our Mighty Volunteers! Rob Klingler Kimberly Hatch Beverly Saadeh Susan MacDonald-DeLucas Tony Franzonia Whit Parker Jon Gibson Foreman: Tree Swallow Photographer: Wendy Franzonia May 2008

Stahl Restoration: Next Steps Mow & maintain trails in grassland Mow & seed target area within Field A Maintenance mow remainder of Field B Clear and mark remaining trails Clear remaining hedges Move small keeper trees to alternative locations Inventory & GPS habitat boxes Plan with Troup Leaders & Schools projects in 2009 Plan with Friends of Vanderveer for Field V Host Fall Fest Hike Map is approximate & not shown to scale A B V

Mow & maintain trails in grassland

Mow & seed target area within Field A

Maintenance mow remainder of Field B

Clear and mark remaining trails

Clear remaining hedges

Move small keeper trees to alternative locations

Inventory & GPS habitat boxes

Plan with Troup Leaders & Schools projects in 2009

Plan with Friends of Vanderveer for Field V

Host Fall Fest Hike

Black River/Millhouse Maintenance Maintenance mow fields & trail Clear wooded trail Plan with NJ Conservation, NJ Water Authority, URWA & NJAS Restoration status of trailbed (heavy metals) Habitat restoration needs Habitat boxes Other land stewardship needs Note: This property is owned by Bedminster Twp, NJ Water Authority & NJ Conservation, so approval of any plan requires all three owners to agree. South view North view

Maintenance mow fields & trail

Clear wooded trail

Plan with NJ Conservation, NJ Water Authority, URWA & NJAS

Restoration status of trailbed (heavy metals)

Habitat restoration needs

Habitat boxes

Other land stewardship needs

Note: This property is owned by Bedminster Twp, NJ Water Authority & NJ Conservation, so approval of any plan requires all three owners to agree.

Twp Treescape Management Plant trees according to Tree Plan (as approved by John Mantz, Bedminster DPW) Burnt Mills Park dog run / parking areas River Road Park parking areas Others? Burnt Mills Park dog run River Road Park parking

Plant trees according to Tree Plan (as approved by John Mantz, Bedminster DPW)

Burnt Mills Park dog run / parking areas

River Road Park parking areas

Others?

Town Hall Beautification Trim hedges Prune trees Weed planting beds Plant native, perennial flowers for seasonal, low maintenance show Court & Police HQ Town Hall

Trim hedges

Prune trees

Weed planting beds

Plant native, perennial flowers for seasonal, low maintenance show

Trail Signage Proposed Styles Trailhead Trail Marker Items of Interest

Land Stewardship Detailed Plan APPROX. TIMING TASK REQUIREMENTS LEAD Before July 31 EC & OSFP plan approval Volunteer safety certification for LMT Land Stewardship Plan certifications & releases Hatch Aug 2-3 Mow trails (6’Wx5”H) in Stahl Mark remaining Stahl trails mower / brush hog 2-6 volunteers (vol.) Parker Hatch Before Aug 31 Order & deliver WSG seed from F.M.Brown Put together grant applications for 2009 3.41 acre & $$ EC/OSFP approval Parker Hatch Sep 6-7 Mow (1”H) & seed Stahl Field A (blue markers) Neaten Town Hall Landscape brush hog, WSG seeder Trimmers, pruners, 2-5 vol. Parker Hatch Sep 13-14 Mow trails (6’Wx5”H) in Stahl Maintenance mow (10”) Stahl Field B & BR/MH Mark remaining Stahl trails mower / brush hog 4-8 vol. Parker Hatch Sep 20 FALL FEST Rodelius Oct 11-12 & Oct 25-26 Remove Stahl’s small trees, replant in parks Clear BR/MH wooded trail auger, tractor, pruners, trimmers, 4-10 vol. Parker Hatch Nov-Feb Remove hedges in Stahl GPS Stahl trails & habitat boxes tractors, chain saws, 4x4 & GPS backpack, 6-15 vol. Parker Hatch Jan-Feb Plan with URWA, NJAS, NJCF, Vandeveer, Scouts & School for 2009 EC/OSFP approval Hatch

Actions for Tonight Vote on using EC budget to buy WSG seed result: approved, up to $2000 Vote on accepting Land Stewardship Plan result: approved Sign up for Land Management Team result: send Kim Hatch email with name & tools

Vote on using EC budget to buy WSG seed

result: approved, up to $2000

Vote on accepting Land Stewardship Plan

result: approved

Sign up for Land Management Team

result: send Kim Hatch email with name & tools