Chatham Conservation Partnership

CHATHAM CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP 16th Meeting – 23 July 2009 Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro

Meeting Summary

Attendees: Carol Ann Lewald, UNC Patrick Beggs, NCSU-WECO Jeff Marcus, WRC Pete Benjamin, USFWS Jim Pick, private landowner Catherine Bollinger, Chatham ERB Judy Pick, private landowner Mark Bost, NC Forest Service Jeremy Poss, Chatham County GIS Leigh Ann Cienek, TLC David Rabon, USFWS Tom Colson, NCSU Forestry Fred Royal, Chatham Environmental Philip Culpepper, Chatham Park Resources Division Sam Groce, Cooperative Extension Ted Shear, private landowner Julie Elmore, Piedmont Conservation John Ann Shearer, US FWS Council Gretchen Smith, private landowner Frances Ferrell, US Army Corps Jacquelyn Wallace, WRC Judith Ferster, Sierra Club Allison Weakley, Chatham ERB Mike Herrmann, EEP Brenda Williams, Chatham Soil and Tandy Jones, TLC Water Sonny Kiesler, FORR, RRHF

Introductions and Agenda Steering Committee member Fred Royal of Chatham County opened the meeting with a welcome and introductions.

Education and Outreach Committee Report – Gretchen Smith Gretchen shared that the CCP Education and Outreach Committee also includes Joe Jacobs and Bill Bussy. All are welcomed.

 Amateur Nature Photography Contest is underway. Eighteen people attended a photography class held in June. Contest ends on August 31. Details on the CCP web site.  A conservation symposium will be held at the NC Botanical Garden on October 29. The theme is Conservation from Concept to Commitment. It will include keynote speakers Eric Fry-Fogel and Richard Cline. A panel discussion will be led by Gary Philips.  The committee is working to provide resources to Chatham County teachers including a resources list. A meet and greet session will be held in the fall.  Committee is working with CCCC to sponsor a natural resources continuing education series. Topics include guided field trip to Jordan Lake, sludge, conservation options for landowners, aquatic species, composting, recycling and more.  The CCP display was out at the Haw River Festival. There are additional opportunities for displaying it this fall.  Committee has submitted a request for a UNC intern this fall.  Committee is considering the possibility of showing the PBS show “Environmental Heroes” featuring Dean Brooks from Goldston.

Cooperative Extension and Farm Protection Plan Update- Sam Groce Sam reported that Glen Woolard, Extension Director for many years retired this summer and they expect that position to be vacant for awhile. Also Susan Graham is leaving to take a new position. Remaining staff is stretched thin.

A cooperative effort to develop a Farmland Protection Plan by Chatham Soil and Water, Cooperative Extension, Triangle Land Conservancy, and others kicked off in January. The plan which is being written by a consultant is designed to solve problems and provide recommendations rather than policies. Local farmers are providing input and a public meeting will be held in the fall. On a related note, a conservation easement was recently closed on Lin Andrew’s farm.

Sustainable Community Development Director – Cynthia Van Der Wiele Cynthia introduced herself as the new SCDD for only a few weeks. She has an educational background in planning and design and natural resources. She relayed the County’s desire to take a cooperative and interdisciplinary approach to business marrying programs such as planning and transportation as well as affordable housing all in one. Ultimately she wants a county land use plan that incorporates all. The county will be hiring a sustainable transportation planner to oversee all aspects of transportation in the county. These new sustainable efforts are geared to keep the quality of life in Chatham County as well as the natural resources.

Update on Cape Fear Shiners – Pete Benjamin Pete Benjamin of the US Fish and Wildlife Service shared with the group that in March the Service received a letter from the Chatham County commissioners requesting that they partner with the County especially in the Rocky River to recover the Cape Fear Shiner. The Service is happy to partner and welcomes involvement. Further, they believe that there are opportunities to recover the shiner. At each CCP meeting the Service would like to provide updates on their progress.

He explained that science is used as the foundation on which all decisions related to the shiner would be made. There have been investigations over the last 2 years on status, ecology, captive propagation, and viability. This is important to know as reintroductions or augmentations are considered. A threat assessment is being conducted in the 3 rivers to identify problems that may need correcting prior to a reintroduction. A synthesis of this information is expected this fall and Pete will report on the results at the October meeting. The Fish and Wildlife Service has just begun a 5-Year Review process for the Cape Fear Shiner as required by the Endangered Species Act. It compiles information into a snap shot of the status of the species. It is due in July 2010.

There was some discussion among the group about the removal of Carbonton dam which opened up habitat for the shiners. A question was also asked about the western Wake wastewater outfall project.

Update from Rocky River – Sonny Keisler The non- profit Rocky River Heritage Foundation is currently involved with a river corridor planning project with the Triangle Land Conservancy. This project to be completed this year identifies lands which they would like to see protected. They are also working with Chatham Soil and Water on an EPA 319 grant focusing on Tick Creek.

The Friends of the Rocky River is in litigation with Siler City because of concern that their sewage permit did not consider prior issues or cumulative impacts. They expect findings in November which will be taken to the Environmental Management Commission for review.

Friends of the Rocky River is also considering litigation to push for action to address the 303D list status of Loves Creek and the poor water quality of the Siler City reservoir. The 303D status has been in place for 12 years without remedial action.

Other potential research is being pursued. Those projects include a study with NCSU – Water Quality, a basin-wide study on nitrates and nitrites with Dr. Fountain of NCSU, and a basin-wide study on invertebrates and Cape Fear Shiners with John Alderman. They are still fund raising and working with DWQ to determine their research needs. In the future they may work with Dr. House on an innovative waste water pilot project. The group has concerns about water and land resource planning being done without consideration of climate change.

Update from the Environmental Review Board – Catherine Bollinger Catherine explained that the ERB is made up of volunteers who are knowledgeable about natural resource and environmental issues. They post onto the county web site the minutes of their meetings and all supporting documents. In 2008 the ERB reviewed EAs for subdivisions and parks and reviewed, negotiated, and refined ordnances for the county. In 2009 there have been fewer EAs due to the economy, but they have reviewed the Parks Master Plan and the EA for Big Woods Park. They have also provided advice to the Board of Commissioners on the Jordan Lake rules, the Durham boundary issue, and the Grand Trees of Chatham Program. Recently the ERB was expanded to also serve as a watershed review board to review watershed ordnances, but to date they have not convened for that purpose. The ERB is educating themselves on several issues including climate change, sludge, coal ash storage, and solid waste land fill options. They are also coordinating with the Green Building Task Force.

Update from Preston Development – Philip Culpepper Philip described the 6,300 acres, 10 square miles, east of Pittsboro and within the Pittsboro ETJ as a mixed used development that could eventually house 50,000 people called Chatham Park. He is working with others to develop new stream buffer ordnances for Pittsboro because of their desire to have everyone, not just them, caring for streams. He explained that the development was on about a 2 year delay due to the economy. They are meeting with the Department of Commerce to avoid over designing the development. Philip thanked the CCP and specifically Leigh Ann Cienek for support of the SW Shore Assessment. This is an answer to their desire to have input before land use planning and they are using it. Philip also shared that they are developing an umbrella mitigation bank that will include the wetlands around Stinking Creek (about 50 acres) for preservation. This mitigation is intended to offset wetland impact from Chatham Park, but they are also considering working with EEP. The land is currently suffering from too many deer and they are considering a hunting program. They have also made the land available for training by counter terrorist and SWAT groups. Finally Philip mentioned that they are exploring waste disposal options including waste energy generation.

Conservation Planning Committee Leigh Ann Cienek provided an update on the conservation plan sub-committee. The committee composed of Tandy Jones, Fred Royal, John Ann Shearer, Julie Elmore, and Leigh Ann Cienek has been working on developing a preliminary scope for the plan and securing funds for the last six months. The committee has successfully secured about $60,000 through foundations and state grants to develop a comprehensive conservation plan over the next year for the County. This plan will compile exiting resources, data, and plans related to natural resources in Chatham County and develop strategies for protecting identified important natural areas and corridors. The committee has released an RFP (Request for Proposals) to hire a consultant to work with the CCP to develop the plan. The plan is in the initial steps and the committee will work closely with the CCP partners to further define the scope and process of the plan development. Please contact one of the sub-committee members if you are interested in helping with the sub- committee or if you have any questions related to the plan.

Lesson Learned from the Greater Uwharries – Jeff Marcus Leigh Ann introduced Jeff Marcus from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission who shared with the group the experiences of the Greater Uwharrie Conservation Forum. A summary of his talk is available on the web site.

Conservation Planning Breakout Brainstorming The group broke into 3 groups to discuss ideas to be sure to include in the new Comprehensive Conservation Plan. This was the start of many discussions by the membership and other stakeholders. Ideas varied from how the process ought to be undertaken to the components of the plan. A detailed list from the breakout session is posted on the web page.

Announcements/Discussions  Tom Colson announced that Clean Jordan Lake is now officially a non-profit with a Board.  Patrick Beggs that the situation assessment from their Tick Creek study (funded by a 319 EPA Grant) was released this week. They will not be forming a Rocky River Collaborative as once thought due to controversy, but they will be forming a Tick Creek Collaborative. All are welcome to join the list serve if interested.  Tandy Jones shared several good news updates. Although TLC has few acquisition funds due to the state budget they are wrapping up some long term projects. They closed on an easement with Lin Andrew’s farm by that resulted from a great partnership with the Save Our Undeveloped Land (SOUL) Fund and the NC Ag Trust Fund (ADFP). Lin is also now on the ERB representing working lands.  A TLC easement on the Dykers farms has been approved for funds from NC Ag Trust and USDA Grassland Reserve Program in partnership with Chatham SWCD. It takes many partners to make these projects work.  NC Ag Trust is funding a TLC easement on the first Certified Organic Farm in NC. Bill Dow’s farm is 21 acres with 3 acres in intensive vegetable production.  TLC closed on Second Island, a significant natural heritage area in the Deep River near White Pines Preserve.  Fred Royal announced that the County was awarded grants for planning and Big Woods Park easements and should know more details in a couple weeks.

The next meeting will be October 22 from 9:00 until 12:00. Location to be announced.

The meeting was adjourned at noon.