Mendocino
Coast Cooperative
Weed Management Area
Minutes
of the Projects Workgroup Meeting
January
10,
2006, 10:00 - 12:00 noon,
Jackson Demonstration State Forest Learning Center
ACTIONS
SUMMARY:
- [Details] Agenda
approved.
- [Details]
Minutes
of September 16,
2005
reviewed, approved.
- [Details]
Tara Athan will prepare the draft Strategic Plan based on the
discussion at this meeting.
- [Details]
Ray Harrie will check with the Agriculture Commissioner about the
possibility of issuing agricultural burn permits for the burning of
debris from invasive plant removal projects.
- [Details]
Peter Warner will check with State Parks about the possibility of
locating burn piles on State Parks property on a project-specific basis.
- [Details]Tara
will post a query on the
CalWeedTalk listserve for information about how other WMAs handle
liability insurance for volunteers and permits for burn piles.
- [Details]
Peter Warner will represent the Projects Workgroup at the next Planning
Committee Meeting, January 23.
- [Details]
Next meeting set for Tuesday, February 28 10AM-12noon at JDSF Learning
Center. A tentative agenda was determined.
MEETING
DETAILS:
Attending:
- Tara Athan, MCWMA Coordinator
- Ray Harrie, Mendocino County
Department of Agriculture
- Lynn Webb, California
Department of Forestry and Fire
- Clare Golec, California
Department of Fish and Game
- Peter Warner, California
Department of Parks and Recreation & Recreation
- Bob
Melendez, California Department of Transportation
- Danny Figueiredo, California
Department of Transportation
(Manchester)
- Brennan LeDoux, California
Department of Transportation (Fort
Bragg)
Documents forwarded by Tara in
preparation for this meeting:
- Agenda
for this meeting,
- Minutes
of the previous
meeting,
- Draft
Strategic Plan Template
Hardcopies of these materials were distributed at the meeting.
The meeting was brought to order at 10:15 AM.
ACTION
ITEM: Agenda
approved.
ACTION
ITEM: Minutes
of September 16,
2005
reviewed, approved.
ACTION
ITEM: Draft
Strategic Plan from Template.
- Projects
Goals
1. Invasive plant populations are controlled
within MCWMA
2. Technical expertise of MCWMA partners is
available in support of weed control activities managed by
others
(within or outside of MCWMA)
3. Records are maintained of invasive plant
treatments
within MCWMA
Principles
1. Implementation of invasive plant
control projects
should be based on a long-term strategy (Note: this is a general
principle that should be moved up to Section II)
2. Project goals for invasive plant
control may
range from total eradication to reduction in rate of spread.
3. Invasive plant management strategies
have a dual
focus, including both species-specific and site-specific management
approaches.
Actions
intern to help with maintenance of
records- data
entry
(including volunteer
records)
Add
8. Improve integrated
control methods
>
research, pilot projects,
demonstration
>
exchange of information with other organizations
- Tara Athan will prepare the
draft Strategic Plan based on the
discussion at this meeting.
Discussion
Item: Liability
Insurance for Projects.
Liability Issues
From Bob
1. Adopt-a-Highway
volunteers not required to have
liability insurance
used to have a waiver sheet, but have
dropped that
CalTrans has blanket liability coverage
2. Special Events: Coverage Through
Sponsoring Groups
CNPS, Land Trust
Question for other WMAs: how to
handle liability issues
Public lands are covered
Private lands? does homeowners policy cover
volunteers
Umbrella policy- registered,
Point Cabrillo
Discussion Item:
Road-Side
Weed Control- Project Management
Encroachment Permits required
Safety Training required
County Roads (information from Bob Parker of Mendocino Transportation
Department)
encroachments permit
right-of-ways: rule of thumb
need to ask about liability
disposal of debris- can be used as green waste?
other options: storage and burning
County Ag
debris cannot be used in compost- seed, or other
propagules may still be viable
1. incinerate (Animal Control)
2. send to a landfill (none in Mendocino County)
County Ag issues vegetation destruction permits
CalTrans Roads
has similar rules of thumb for right-of-ways
Need to check with other WMAs about burnpiles
Bob- CCC's currently burn debris
Peter- State Parks burns e.g beachgrass
has burn permits
Look into cooperative arrangement for burning
Another issue: collateral
dumping of yard waste onto burn piles
Ray
will talk to Dave about Ag burn
permits
Peter
will talk to Mike about
burning on State Parks lands
keep it project specific
include into pilot projects- how much debris, costs
CalTrans Adopt-A-Highway Program
signs or other recognition, hoe person
plaque
a minimum area must be controlled in order to get
plaque
Methods of Control on Roadsides
Herbicides?
Lynn- we have strong social constraints
Ray- County has a policy of no-herbicide use, but not a law
Peter- State parks has a proposal for herbicide use on gorse, weed
management
in mountain beaver
habitats- is most protective of a habitat by minimization of burrow
disturbance
Ray- keep low profile
Overview
herbicides are allowed (within regulations) on private
property
Ray- use of herbicide on initial infestation can preclude later use on
large populations
Comment - Seed spread from mowing is a big problem
Danny- pampas grass is difficult to mow, but is a safety issue
Tara
will post on the
CalWeedTalk listserve for information about
how
other WMAs handle insurance issues and permits for
burn piles.
ACTION
ITEM: Draft Report of Workgroup
Accomplishments and Needs (prepare a bulleted list of accomplishments
since
last workgroup meeting, and needs from other workgroups, for
presentation at Planning Committee Meeting)
will we start an Adopt-A-Highway/Road program
must be adoptable
(safety issue)
can we demonstrate
something valuable
is the publicity
worth it
signs require a
minimum size
County or State
sites for
attracting public interest-
near public lands
limited in range
ACTION
ITEM: Select representative to
present at
Planning Committee meeting, Jan 23.
Peter Warner will represent the
Projects Workgroup at the next Planning
Committee Meeting, January 23.
ACTION
ITEM: Set date and tentative agenda of next Projects
Workgroup meeting.
Next meeting set for Tuesday, February
28 10AM-12noon at
JDSF Learning Center. A tentative agenda was determined.
Agenda-
1. review Strategic Plan
2. update on liability and disposal
3. adopt-a-highway project
4. CalTrans spot project-options
The
meeting
was adjourned at 12:20 pm.
Minutes
recorded by Tara Athan.