Greenfield Conservation Commission approves minutes, schedules bluebird and native-plant programs

The Greenfield Conservation Commission approved its December meeting minutes and outlined several public programs and administrative steps at its Jan. 28 meeting.

Chair Karen Day called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.; members attending were Roger Lessard, Ralph Scarpinio, Tom Bregani and Brenda Gollihue. Brenda Gollihue moved to approve the December minutes after additional edits; Ralph Scarpinio seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The commission is scheduling public outreach and habitat projects that depend on volunteer support, vendor coordination and library space, and it is preparing to update the town forestry plan — items that affect how local conservation resources and public programs are delivered in the coming year.

Program calendar and logistics: The commission confirmed a bluebird-house workshop for Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. Karen Day said the bluebird-house seller and Edmunds will sell supplies at the same prices as last year and asked the Spirit to encourage advance purchases. Roger Lessard agreed to assist Tom Bregani in assembling bird boxes (adding roof clapboards, ventilation holes, numbering and poles). Karen said she will contact Ella at the library to reserve the Wensberg Room for program dates, preferably on a Sunday afternoon for up to 90 minutes.

The commission also confirmed a native-plant program for March 29 at 2 p.m., with Fassett Farm Nursery presenters Aaron Abitz and Brittany Cavanagh. Tom Bregani said he will explore organizing a Micro Exploring Walk tied to the forthcoming Phil Brown book, possibly in May or June.

Planting, signage and outreach: The group discussed purchasing winterberry plants for sunny wet spots on town properties; Roger recommended a candidate site and suggested explanatory signage to discourage residents from picking berries that feed birds. The commission noted that a roadside-roundup banner has arrived and that 16 discounted pollinator signs are in storage; Karen Day will pick up additional ConCom project signs and store them upstairs.

Administration and fundraising: Karen Day outlined a new process requiring program requests to be routed through the chair; Ralph suggested a standardized form, which Karen said she would create and share. Karen reported that proceeds from a Holland Bulb fundraiser can be deposited into the Conservation Fund per her conversation with Aaron Patt; Holland Bulb will host an ordering website and the commission must later decide a designated use for the funds (for example, a new garden).

Forestry plan and records: Tom Bregani delivered a report from Mike Gagnon of the UNH Cooperative Extension, noting a recent survey of the southern half of the town forest. Tom said it is nearly time to update the town forestry plan, proposed checking whether Karla is available to lead the update, and recommended a joint meeting with the Forestry Committee. Tom also said he would ask the Selectboard for a dedicated committee page on the town website to improve records management.

Other business and next steps: Tom asked about the percentage of town land that is in conservation; Roger said he would consult the chair of Antrim Conservation for sources of that data, and Tom suggested coordinating monitoring of easement lands with Southwest Planning staff such as Henry Underwood. At 8:15 p.m. Tom Bregani moved to adjourn; Ralph Scarpinio seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The commission set its next regular meeting for Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at the town offices.