Committee proposes wildlife observation project at Springdown Open Preserve

A committee member proposed creating a long‑term wildlife observation program at Springdown Open Preserve to collect data on animals and produce an annual report for the town.

"I'd like to propose that we have um a bird day kind of birding event in maybe in February," the committee member said, adding that the Audubon Society had suggested February as a possibility. Members discussed expanding that idea into ongoing observations and occasional night surveys.

Speakers named specific features at Springdown — a duck pond, meadow and an area where a fallen willow created habitat — as promising monitoring sites and suggested installing wildlife cameras to document species presence. One speaker suggested the project could record which animals appear seasonally and produce a yearly summary for the town.

The group also noted a state policy context: a committee member referenced California Assembly Bill 1889 (the "Room to Roam Act") and suggested the committee’s data could inform local conservation reporting. No firm timeline or funding source for cameras or monitoring equipment was decided; members agreed to develop an outline and return with cost and logistics at a future meeting.