6/2/2011 CONSERVATION COMMISSION Minutes

Home Browse Search

Jack Vaccaro from Vaccaro Environmental represents IIT. Caffyn and found after reviewing Mr. Cook's plans that it does nip into the priority habitat so they have submitted a MESA rare species request to Natural Heritage to determine what rare species were in the area and this specific email from Ms. Cohen is under dispute. Mr. Monroe says that this is easily resolved by getting the coordinates from Natural Heritage and the Armycorp. Chairman Fitzsimmons recommends a continuance in which Mr. Cook agrees and asks for a two geek continuance. - Motion marde, seconded and unanimously carried for a continuance until 6/16/11 at 7: 12 pm 4Prescribed Burn Proposal Mashpee Pine Barrens (Tori Eagle/Chief Baker) Material submitted: Power Point Mashpee Fla Plan Power POOt Presentation (USB Flash Drive [7/1/101); Handouts: N.E Cottontail(Aug 2006 f National Wi fe-M naQha Fire to Protect Wildlife & People (March 2010 Print) Torn Eagle from the J.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Assistant Manager for Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex states that Mashpee Natural Wildlife Refuge is one of eight areas that they manage. Mashpee Natural vllildiife i a partnership refuge. Mr. Eagle explains that they have received a draft fire management plan for a first prescribed burn in Mashpee Natural Wildlife Refuge. It is a small scale but their objectives are; to reduce hazard fuels in the wild land urban interface where Dousing developments are abutted very close against the natural community which involve fuels that are very common in the pine barren areas; to improve habitat between the cottontail rabbits; maintain the ecological integrity of northeast pine barren eco system; and also as a training opportunity for town, state and federal firefighters. Data has been collected to develop a model in prescriptions for managing hazardous fuels in the refuge. The plan calls for over-story and under-stony management to reduce the potential for running crown fire. Prevailing winds in the summer when the fuer are the,driest is from the southwest which will put it right into a specific housing development. Mr. Eagle explains some of the equipment they had brought in to use and some of the processes used to widen access roads. He shows some pictures from the Holland Mills Board work. They had created fire breaks around three major subdivisions within Holland Mills and Great Hay Road area. They will burn 13 ages which will be divided into four burn x management areas. Mr. Eagle states that since they were doing all this, Massachusetts Ecological Services, Fish Wildlife services and the state became more involved in the New England Cottontail conservation. The N.E. cottontail is on a candidate list to be considered an endangered species which they have been doing everything they can not to put therm on the endangered list. They have, been doing intensive habitat management by tracking, monitoring and modeling. Their range has been significantly reduced. They have put collars on every rabbit caught and have been monitored through the burn management process. They are down to 8 rabbits (from 28). They have used mechanical decries to clear under-story but pitch pine and scrub oak are a fire dependent eco system. Chief Baker has brought in firefighters for training; Mr. Eagle has brought in his staff as well. He states that a burn may req urire 10-12 firefighters but they will probably have approximately 20. They will have to follow DEP's stria ozone guidelines. Chief Baker Mates that they will use the Reverse 911 system to contact homeowners along with the regional sign boards. Mr. sweet asks of some other areas of concern and Chief Baker Mates that with this particular area, they were able to overlay the habitat management plan for the rabbit so that there were two projects to complete at once. He also states that this was a test project to see how the rabbits reacted.