CAMBRIA FOREST COMMITTEE
TO CONSERVE AND MANAGE THE NATIVE FOREST OF CAMBRIA
Meeting Minutes
November 10, 202, 5:30 PM
Zoom.com Video Teleconference
Crosby Swartz called the meeting to order. A Quorum was established by attendance of Crosby and Laura Swartz, Bob Fountain, Christine Heinrichs and Harry Farmer, Cambria CSD liaison, acting as a director. Neil Havlik of California Native Plant Society also attended.
Public and Director Comments
Christine cited a 1999 petition to State Fish and Game Commission to list Monterey Pine as a Threatened Species under the California Endangered Species Act. The petition was withdrawn to address the large volume of comments, but was never resubmitted. Neil said he will ask CNPS members whether they remember this petition. Christine will research through State F&G Commission. In light of research over the years, this might be worth revising and re-submitting.
Cambria received just under half an inch of rain in the recent storm. Rocky Butte got an inch, the most in the county.
Minutes of October Meeting were approved unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: Laura reported that the account balance is $168.50. She will add directors’ donations to cover the insurance on her return to Cambria.
Sub-Committee Reports
Education/Planting/Mitigation/Operations
CCSD Finance Committee Recommendation to Divest Forest Parcels
The CSD Board referred the Finance Committee report back to the Finance Committee, which did not approve the report before Committee Chair Tom Gray presented it to the board. Forest Committee directors concurred in hope that the passage on divesting of forest lots will be removed or revised in committee.
Report from Fire Safe Focus Group
The Wildfire Preparedness Day video is posted at https://cal-span.org/unipage/?site=slo-span&video=https%3A%2F%2Fslo-span.org%2Fmedia%2Fvideo_files%2FSPEVENT%2FSPEVENT_21-10-09%2FSPEVENT_21-10-09_Cambria-Wildfire-Preparedness.mp4&fbclid=IwAR0TqTAt0lyPyfyViIwWBf3h-tPd16TDlQG7FCHKNGPibJjN9iPuE5txFpU It includes a Sim(ulation) Table that models fire progression under variable geographic, environmental and weather conditions.
New Business
Grant Application for Camp Ocean Pines Tree Planting Project
Harry met with Camp Ocean Pines Executive Direct Andre Boyd-Goodrich and arborist Blair McCormick to discuss the project. The camp needs about 50 trees, and would also like cones and seeds for understory plants to raise their own. Greenspace will sell COP 50 trees for half price, about $250. Laura will write a grant application and present it to the Cambria Community Council November 16.
Unfinished Business
Discussion – Covell Ranch Fuel Reduction Project & Test Plots
Neil reported that SLO County Fire Safe Council Business Manager Dan Turner invited Neil, Dave Krause and Melissa Mooney to meet on Friday November 15 to review the two test plots they have arranged. Trees smaller than 8 inches DBH will be removed on one and trees smaller than 4 inches DBH on the other. They will explore how the masticator and brushmowers, which remove all vegetation, will be used to discriminate between sizes of trees and understory vegetation. Others may be allowed to see the test plots after work is done.
Report – CCSD Forest Management Ad Hoc Committee
Harry reported that the committee is focusing on two goals: Developing an update to the Forest Management Plan and obtaining grant funding to hire a forest manager. Devin Best of Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District recommended his assistant Andrew Johnson. Directors expressed concern over the influence Cal Fire, Fire Safe Council and their contractor Steve Auten may have over a future forest manager. Directors prefer a forest ecologist who will focus on a healthy forest. Crosby referred to ideas expressed by Charles Darwin 150 years ago, as recounted in a recent scientific publication,
Public and Director Comments
The Forest Committee will hold a regular meeting December 8, 5:30 pm on Zoom. Greenspace Board President John Seed will represent in Bob Fountain’s absence.
Future Agenda Items and Speakers
Los Padres Forest Watch: Christine continues to contact Bryant Baker and Chad Hanson regarding holding a public meeting featuring his webinar. They have expressed support in past emails, so the webinar could be scheduled with an announcement to them.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm.
Next Meeting December 8, 2021
