ATTACHMENT 5
From: Curtis Brooks
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 4:07 PM
To: 'James L. Ward'
Cc: Robert Minick; Bill Letteri; Bruce Heflin
Subject: FW: Recap of 4/6/04 Merritt Pasture Meeting
Jim,
The Merritt
Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Plan adopted by the Council on 6/24/02 is
still the current plan. After I met with you and Council Member Greene at
the pasture in April of 2004, I sent a follow-up email recapping the next steps
the Town staff needed to take to implement the plan. That email is attached
below and noted four essential issues. These issues and what has been
done to address them are as follows:
- Bush Hogging – Areas of zone 4 that had begun to transition
from pasture to woody plants, including numerous multiflora rose, were
delineated in the field and bush hogged in 2004 to “bring back” part of
the pasture. These areas are in need of being bush hogged again
soon. I’ve asked Robert Minnick, the Town’s Landscape
Superintendent, to schedule this work as well as bush hogging other areas of
the pasture that are not cut for hay.
- Forest Restoration in the RCD – A strip approximately 130’
wide was delineated adjacent to Morgan Creek in 2004 and I believe has
been left undisturbed since that time. Toy Cheek, who harvests hay
on the site, is aware of the stream setback.
- Milkweed Area – Several discrete areas identified in 2004 as
having populations of milkweed have been staked off on the site and are
not mowed in the summer or fall when hay is being harvested. They
have been mowed once a year in late winter.
- Removal
of Invasive Species – Limited labor resources have meant that, with the exception of
bush hogging multiflora rose in zone 4, significant progress has not been
made on this issue. We had hoped to utilize support from NC
Department of Corrections crews for some of this work but our access to
this labor resource has diminished significantly in the last few years.
I hope this
information is helpful. If you have additional questions or have specific
suggestions for maintenance needs feel free to contact either Robert Minnick or
me.
I hope your
enjoying the summer.
Curtis