Lincoln Conservation Commission
MINUTES
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Lincoln Town Offices
COMMISSIONERS: David Katsuki, Jim Meadors, Sara Lewis, Ben Horne, Ari Kurtz, & Jim Henderson STAFF: Tom Gumbart.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Deer Hunting
This item was put on the agenda by Conservation staff since there have been numerous hunters coming in to the office to inquire about hunting in Lincoln. In addition, many residents have voiced concern over the number of deer in our community and have advocated for hunting. The overall issue of deer and ticks and Lyme disease has been discussed frequently by the Commission over the past several years.
When hunters inquire at the Conservation Office they are informed that there is no hunting allowed on any municipal land, including conservation land. However, hunting is allowed on privately owned land provided all state laws and regulations are followed. Typically these individuals are aware of the large number of deer in Town and they are looking for opportunities to hunt and would like to be able to do it on conservation land. Most of the hunters are bow hunters who hunt from deer stands (small sitting platforms in trees). The bow season this year is from October 16 to November 25. Shotgun slug season is from November 27 to December 9 and muzzleloader season is from December 11 to December 30. There are mixed views on the Commission over whether or not there will ever be an effort to have some type of
hunting allowed on conservation land.
Residents are concerned with the deer population for various reasons. The primary concerns are with public safety (deer-vehicle collisions), damage to landscaping, and their association with ticks and Lyme disease. This year it seems that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of residents becoming infected with Lyme disease. The whole Lyme disease issue is very complex ecologically. There is current research that indicates that decreasing the local deer population may not reduce the risk of Lyme disease to people and pets. A research article, “Climate, Deer, Rodents, and Acorns as Determinants of Variation in Lyme-Disease Risk”, from June published in PLoS Biology (Public Library of Science, a highly respected, peer-reviewed journal available free online) presented results from a 13-year
study by scientists at the Institute for Ecosystem Studies in New York. In this study, deer abundance turned out not to be a good predictor of the density of Lyme-infected nymphal ticks (it is mainly this nymphal stage that is responsible for transmitting Borrelia burgdorferi to humans). Instead, infected tick density was best predicted by the number of mice & chipmunks in the previous year (these are both hosts for the earlier, larval stage of Borrelia), along with the abundance of acorns 2 years before.
There was discussion around separating out the deer density issue and the Lyme disease issue since they may not be as closely related as once thought. One thing that was clear from this meeting was that the Town should do a better job of educating residents regarding Lyme disease. Tom Gumbart will contact the Board of Health and the Board of Selectmen about combining efforts towards this end. A brochure on the biology of Lyme disease and procedures for avoiding/minimizing risk would be helpful. In addition it may be time for the Town to host a forum on issues with deer and Lyme disease.
Farrar Pond Report
Lycott Environmental submitted a report dated October 26, 2006 on the status of the aquatic vegetation in Farrar Pond and their control efforts done on behalf of the Farrar Pond Association. The fluridone treatments were estimated to be between 90 to 100% effective at controlling Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana) and the overall volume of aquatic vegetation, both native and non-native, was reduced.
East Middlesex Mosquito Control
Mike Bryant, Assistant Superintendent for East Middlesex Mosquito Control District, contacted the Conservation staff regarding stream clearing. He was looking for streams that needed to have obstructions removed to maintain water flow, thereby minimizing the potential for mosquito breeding in stagnant waters. Approximately every two years he has been in contact regarding work of this nature. His crew uses hand tools only on the streams. A few years ago they did some work around the school complex off Ballfield road and the Commission agreed that this is an area to work on again given the concentration of students in this vicinity.
Each year Town Meeting allocates approximately $10,000 for mosquito services through the Board of Health’s operating budget. The Conservation Commission is not clear if we should be helping to guide the mosquito control activities when the work is budgeted through another department. Other work includes mosquito sampling with traps, providing brochures to the Board of Health, and may include larvicide treatments to catchbasins. The Board of Health has no annual accounting of how the funds are spent so efforts are being taken to get this information from the EMMCD.
Beaver at Route 126 and Tower Road
The culvert at Route 126 (Concord Road) is open and flowing well, both through the beaver pipe and a cut through the beaver dam immediately adjacent to the pipe. The cut is allowing additional water flow and will allow the water level to be maintained lower than it was this summer. It will need monitoring in the spring when it is likely beavers will return to the site.
Tower Road has a culvert that is being blocked by beavers. The flow is from Todd Pond, past the Tower Road well site, then on to Beaver Pond and Stony Brook. The water was backed up and the level was raised close to the roadway itself. Conservation staff has been relieving water pressure by opening up the culvert every few days but the beavers just plug it up again. Mike Callahan from Beaver Solutions was contacted to get out on the site to see if a beaver exclosure fence would work.
Wetlands Protection Bylaw – Buffer Zone Regulations
The regulations for buffer zone work under our wetlands bylaw do not have specific performance standards to guide the Commission and applicants in reviewing projects. The Commission needs to work on developing these standards. Jim Meadors is working on a draft language for review at our next meeting.
Bike Parking
MAPC has a new initiative on bike parking to make it easier to travel by bicycle. They are working with other organizations on this program that will allow communities to purchase bike parking equipment at discount prices with subsequent reimbursement for the purchase cost. Each town must pay for shipping and installation. The Commission discussed places in Lincoln where bike racks could be beneficial. Sites mentioned included the Mall at Lincoln Station, the
Town Offices, and the Old Town Hall Exchange. Tom Gumbart will contact the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen to see if they want to pursue this opportunity.
ACTION ITEMS
Determination of Applicability signed and issued to Gerard du Toit, 151 Weston Road (Map 111-Block 5-Lot 0) for invasive species clearing and native plant restoration.
Order of Conditions signed for Jeffrey and Eloise Patterson, 15 Beaver Pond Road (Map74-Block 21-Lot 0) for minor addition. DEP file number still needed for final issuance.
New England Deaconess: Commission voted 6-0 to support the New England Deaconess concept plan as presented to the Conservation Commission at the August 9, 2006 meeting. This vote was to formalize the previous consensus prior to the coming Town Meeting.
Payroll Signed
Respectfully Submitted,
Thomas Gumbart
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