Oak Harbor Garry Oak Society

Meeting Minutes

November 10, 2015

Meeting called to order at 6:40 pm by President Laura Renninger. Meeting held at the Oak Harbor City Library conference room.

Members present:

President Laura Renninger

VP Kathy Chalfant

Duncan Chalfant

Ellen Giles (for Brian as Secretary)

Brad Gluth

Ron Hancock

Matt Klope

Rudy Knaack

Jillian Pape

Kyle Renninger

Maryann Safford

Reading of Agenda

●OHGOS Tree Inventory

●Smith Park Signage/City of Oak Harbor Parks Department Ad Hoc Group

●Garry Oak Memorial at Post Office

●OHGOS website content development update

●OHGOS website status report

●Unfilled position of Treasurer-nominations?

●Letter to NASWI CO re: permission for planting

●Centennial Grove update

●Acorn collection/planting update

●Adoption of OHGOS operating procedures

Business

●Kathy and Duncan report progress on the ongoing tree inventory to include a total of 779 oaks. Approximately 300 trees were on public land. Several ‘new’ groupings include trees at Sumner Park, Scenic Heights, Hastie Lake area off of Lombardy Ln.

●The Ad Hoc Group with the City of Oak Harbor Parks Department discussed the plan to talk with elders (oral history) and the need for signage. The latter should address pre-settlement and be compatible with existing signage. The OH Garden Club has donated $800 to the Centennial Grove Project.

●Laura reported the Post Office site memorial is currently in need of an overall authority before work can begin. There are many volunteers, including Eagle Scout candidate Matt Hallahan’s effort to connect with City’s Hank Nydam and Arts Commission Skip Pohtilla. Melissa Duffy, longtime oak tree advocate, has reported that the native plant garden at the site has been ‘weeded’, but the fate of 4 oak seedling is tenuous.

●Website development is ongoing.

●The OHGOS Treasurer position remains unfilled.

●Laura has drafted letters to 7 homeowners offering assistance/info on English Ivy removal. Kathy will attempt to track down homeowner of 891 Jensen Street via ‘parcel number’.

●Matt Klope has drafted a general information letter to the NASWI CO concerning our win-win proposal for planting Garry Oaks on NASWI property.

●Centennial Grove: Brad reports that the scheduled planting will take place on November 20-21; Whidbey Island Tilth has donated 28 seedlings. There have been donations of stakes, trunk protective tubing and mulch. Volunteers are limited to 18 at any given time. The site is gravelly/rocky, and Oak Harbor City employees will have equipment onsite to dig at the thoughtfully chosen spots. OHGOS members were allowed to sign up early!

●Laura gave the group an update on the acorn collection/planting project. Laura has a list of those who are caring for these seedlings along with seedling count numbers from the October propagation event.

●Laura led brainstorming session for proposed 1-year and 3-year goals for OHGOS. Proposals for the first year Outreach, Education, and Preservation included building relationships with OH Schools and the Navy. Outreach efforts might include invitation of speaker from OHHS Ecology Club for youth participation. The possibility exists for an ongoing video of the life of an oak. We need to maintain the existing relationships with Junior Gardening Club at Hillcrest Elementary and the Ecology Club at OHHS. We discussed potential Arbor Day Eventand Garry Oak “walks”. Preservation efforts discussed were: first, the need for continuing ivy removal efforts; secondly, propagation of new Garry Oaks. Joan is working on an informational brochure about OHGOS efforts. To ensure ongoing protection and appreciation for Oak Harbor’s Garry Oak trees, the School Superintendent and School Board members will be asked for the permission to plant Garry Oaks on school properties. In addition we will suggest the integration of Garry Oaks into the curriculum. These efforts to begin as first-year projects and continue yearly. Long-term projects will include an “Adopt an Oak” project. Ongoing Education via website and brochure will include information for homeowners concerning the care and planting of Garry Oaks.

The adoption of OHGOS operating procedures, because of time limitations, was rescheduled for the next meeting, which will be December 8, 2015 at 6:30 pm at the Whidbey Presbyterian Church. Mtg. adjourned at 8:30 pm.