Sault Naturalists Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

Sault Naturalists Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

Thursday April7, 2016

7:00 pm Civic Centre Biggings Room

Regrets: Jeff, Carrie, Gail, Robert

Attendees: Ron, Val, Mark, Jen, Chuck, Tony, Carl, Bill, Jerry, Angela, Cindy, Don

Guests: none

1) The meeting was called to order at 7 pm

2) ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA:

Old Business: funding for SWIFT project extended to next year

3) REVISION/APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING:

Minutes approved by Tony and seconded by Carl. Carried

4 BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES

a) Revised minutes February Meeting-Angela

b) To do list for AGM and Financial Report

Now in the Minutes for the month after the General Meeting

c) Corporation change form: in progress

d) Job Description change to Constitution on Wiki

Ron to checkif this was done

e) Bill Meades date change for May Program

May 3 at Great Lakes Forest Center

f) Speakers contact for May Meeting change

Ron contacted speakers but has not had reply. Chuck to follow up

g) AGM Feb 1 2017 Valentines day change?

Keep the date, make it a theme

Consideration about changing venue to Canada if C$ continues low. We should look at this again closer to the date

h) Status of tech support Bayliss…Angela

Visited Bayliss and checked the procedure for using the AV equipment. '

It looks straightforward. Chuck and Angela will arrive early on April 12 to be sure the equipment is working

i) Clicker purchase Program Committee

Has been purchased. Wenow have two

j) Status of EAC (Bill)

Concern that the objective of the Committee is vague. It's difficult to convene a committee without objectives. focus

Creek revitalization project might be a possibility

Ron to speak to membership about the Committee in Business Section of April 12 meeting

k) Ontario Nature Youth summit $350 to membership

Moved by Tony seconded by Chuck that we bring this to membership

Discussion: Jen voices a concern that leaving travel expenses for student will dissuade people from applying. Do parents have to go too? Selection process?

Motion carried

Carrie to work on selection process. Carrie to contact Ontario Nature for further info if needed

l) Program and outing publishing…Cindy

Recap of last month discussion

Val described options for hike descriptions

Asking people to call leaders: lengthy discussion about whether this is appropriate. Maybe tell people to look at wiki for details.

Carl questions whether this is a necessary step. We have sufficient participation in outings now. Is asking people to call leaders too onerous for leaders? Jen thought it might discourage participants.

Cindy will develop wording for next meeting

Angela suggested advertising some outings, not all

ACTION: Cindy will develop sample wording to describe outings and send to the Executive for input. Will revisit this subject in May meeting.

m) Status report on Outing wording/waiver forms Val

Val to bring a sample to May meeting

n) Report on platforms status: Tony

Tony checked three platforms.

Large platform on Pumpkin Point (Lake Street) needs balusters. Tony and Don to take care of this.

Small one on Pumpkin Point

Small platform in Echo Bay

Platform in Centennial Pkwy is in very poor shape. Structure is awash due to higher water levels and will probably need to be moved closer to shore or taken out every year. A number of options were discussed and will be investigated further.

Bellevue Park platform maintained by city

Platform by the locks:

o) Garlic Mustard Pull May 28 at Sutton Park

We will publicize the event, send a letter to local residents. Taylor Wright (sp?) is working on a brochure

Grant Robinson proposing research on sample sites in the area.

We'll need volunteers for the day. Put it on your calendar.

5) COMMITTEE AND OTHER REPORTS

a) Treasurer

Canadian Account $2,312.78

US Account $302.21

GIC #1 (01/13/17) $3,956.93

GIC #2 (06/17/16) $3,810.83

b) Outings

Val handed out and discussed a list of the proposed outings for this summer. The focus of the discussion was work programs and SWIFT night.

The outings list is still very fluid. Anyone who wants to make changes contact Val

Additional Item:

Fisheries Management Zone 10 (FMZ10) Advisory Council Meeting – Mar 30, 2016

(Zone 10 covers Wawa-Chapleau-French River-North Shore to SSM and Manitoulin Island)

Report: Val

Council made the following recommendations:

1. Move forward with a ban on the use of Rainbow smelt as bait across the entire zone with no exceptions. Smelt are an exotic invasive species and have had a serious negative impact on freshwater ecosystems.
2. Retain current fishing regulations for walleye (Current Sports license: 4 fish, not more than 1 over 46 cm. Conservation license: 2 fish not more than 1 over 46 cm). Council will re-assess maximum size limit of walleye as Broad-scale Monitoring data becomes available.
3. Protect large (mature) female Northern pike (Current Sports license: 6 fish, not more than 2 greater than 61 cm of which not more than 1 greater than 86 cm. Conservation license: 2 fish not more than 1 over 61 cm, none greater than 86 cm). Council to recommend implementation of a science-based maximum size limit or a reduction in the number of fish allowed to be harvested within the larger size ranges as soon as possible. Council did not recommend a closed season for pike during the spawning season.

c) Programs- Chuck

Tuesday April 12 at Bayliss

Original May 10 date changed to May 3; need to confirm with speakers

Doug McDougall will replace Bob Currell on committee

April 21 Central Algoma Wetlands presentation 7 pm Bruce Mines Community Center
Chuck will forward details.

d) Membership

attached

e) Environmental Action Committee

see 4J

f) Michigan Audubon

summary attached

g) Ontario Nature

Carrie will attend spring Ontario Nature conference

h) S.S.M. Trails Committee

Will be creating events calendar for Year of the Bike (2016)

Rotary Fest Miracle Mile July 16

St Joe Triathlon August 16

i) Publicity

Counting Wolves Documentary: Press Release was picked up by Sault Star and Northern Hoot. Also promoted on social media. Turnout was excellent

Draft Brochure is ready; Cindy discussed. Send any comments to Cindy

6) OLD BUSINESS

a) Creek Revitalization Plan-on hold

will be EAC initiative

7) Updates and reminders

a) Platform repair Spring 2016-discussed above

8) NEW BUSINESS

a) Partnershipwith Three Shores Cooperative Invasive CISMA

Moved by Chuck seconded by Jen, carried

b) Science Fest: Ron and Don

c) Youth Ranger Support ProjectJuly 4-Aug 26

d) Pygmy SnaketailRiverine Project(Approved) $2,762 funding approved

e) SWIFT project continued funding approved

f) Algoma Highlands Conservancy acknowledgment received

g) Nature Observations

Next Meeting April 28

Welcome to Jerry Kroetsch, Member at large

Mark Harvey has been appointed Member of the MNRF's Sault Ste. Marie Local Citizen's Committee (LCC) representing the Sault Nats

ADJOURNMENTat 9:15 pm

Moved by Tony, Secondedby Cindy

ATTACHMENT 1: MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

Total No. Memberships not including organizations / 2016 / 2015 / 2014
Life (paid) / 17
Individual / 35 / 23 / 3
Family / 24 / 25 / 1
Student / 1 / 5
Complimentary individual / 4
Total Membership / 81 / 53 / 4
Total memberships / 81 / 53 / 4
Total memberships today / 138
Total # CA / 121
Total # USA / 17
Clubs, Audubon etc. / 6

Date: April 7 2016

• Memberships for 2015, are memberships that are not due yet or that are due this month
• 3 of the 6 clubs memberships are Canadian and 3 American
• 1 new members joined this pass month 2 memberships were retired
• The 3 Complimentary memberships are older members, not well at the present time.
• 1 Complimentary is for guest speaker
• Reminder letters were sent to member concerning membership dues to 4 membership from 2014
• Welcome letters were sent to new members with information concerning club activities

By: Don and Vivian Hall

ATTACHMENT 2: MICHIGAN AUDOBON COMING EVENTS

April 30-May 1Whitefish Point Bird Observatory annual Spring Fling withbirding author Cameron Cox providing the keynote program entitled: Beyond Hawkwatching, Identifying Seabirds in Flight

Tony Walker is leading a SooNats outing there on 04/30

May 13-15Aldo Leopold Festival, Les Cheneaux Area

Many bird and botany talks and outings will be offered

The new Lake Huron Birding Trail will be dedicated

April 7 2016 Executive Committee MinutesPage 1