NHACC: New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions  

BASICS OF WETLANDS & WETLAND DELINEATIONS WORKSHOP PRESENTED BY: NH Association of Natural Resource Scientists (NHANRS) DATE AND TIME: Friday, June 8, 2012; 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM LOCATION: The Conservation Center, Concord, NH EVENT FLIER: http://www.nhanrs.org/BasicWetland2012.pdf WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: This NHANRS workshop is designed as an in depth introduction and review of New Hampshire wetlands and the principles of wetland delineations. Ideal for conservation commissioners, planners, engineers, surveyors, architects, landscapers, lawyers, land owners, students and others who have interest in wetlands and wetland delineations. You will learn the basics of recognizing wetlands and delineating wetland limits. The workshop will include a morning classroom session, where wetlands and the New Hampshire requirements and the USACE Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region will be discussed. Included will be a thorough review of wetlands vegetation, soils and hydrology. The afternoon session will include observations of a variety of wetlands, and delineations in the field surrounding the Conservation Center, with critiques and discussion. Non-members are encouraged to attend.

NHANRS SPRING QUARTERLY MEETING HOSTED BY: NH Association of Natural Resource Scientists (NHANRS) DATE AND TIME: Thursday, May 24, 2012; 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM LOCATION: The Common Man, Concord, NH EVENT FLIER: http://www.nhanrs.org/Spring2012Quarterly.pdf PRESENTATION: Tropical Storm Irene: Effects on Granite State Rivers Shane Csiki, Fluvial Geomorphology Specialist, New Hampshire Geological Survey, NHDES Tropical Storm Irene dropped torrential rainfall throughout the Northeast, and New Hampshire’s North Country was no exception. Miles of riverbanks in the mountainous terrain of northern New Hampshire were washed away by the power of flow resulting from the rainfall by Irene, causing damage to homes, property, roads and bridges. As Irene demonstrated, rivers not only flood, but also erode riverbanks, given the right circumstances. This event teaches us important lessons about the future management of our state’s rivers, including the identification of those areas most prone to damage from river erosion. New Hampshire has begun evaluating these hazards during the past several years, and this presentation will discuss how the resources of the program were brought to the aid of the impacted communities after the event. New Hampshire’s overall response to Irene has included the creation of a multi-agency task force of federal and state agencies to not only better respond to the problems left in Irene’s wake, but to incorporate the lessons learned into future river management. Non-members are encouraged to attend.

HB 514 was recently amended in committee (no hearings were held on this new language), and this version headed for the Senate floor on April 18th. The amendment focuses specifically on conservation commissions.

Click here for the language passed by the Senate as an addition to RSA 36-A:4 Powers.

The House and Senate have now passed very different versions of this bill and will need to come to agreement about language.

VERNAL POOLS AND SMALL STREAMS WORKSHOP Presented by the New Hampshire Association of Natural Resource Scientists At New England College, Henniker, NH Friday, May 18, 2012: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM EVENT FLIER: http://www.nhanrs.org/vernalpool2012.pdf Non-members are encouraged to attend. If you are a natural resource professional, or simply an outdoor enthusiast, the ability to identify vernal pools is an important skill to have. Vernal pool surveys have become an important component of environmental assessments; in fact, towns and regulatory agencies frequently request such information. Although some physical characteristics can be used to identify potential vernal pools, only certain amphibians and aquatic invertebrates are considered indicator species and can be used to definitely identify vernal pool habitat in New Hampshire. Small streams - ephemeral, intermittent, and upper perennial - are also regulated. These streams can be identified not only by physical characteristics, but also by the creatures that inhabit them. This workshop will focus on methods to identify amphibian larvae and major aquatic invertebrate groups associated with vernal pools and small streams. The laboratory time will be spent using microscopes and appropriate keys to identify preserved amphibian larvae and invertebrates. The field portion will focus on field methods for identification of vernal pools, small streams, and amphibian and aquatic invertebrates.

The Rockingham County Superior Court has ordered Cheryl Killam's reinstatement as Chair of the Raymond Conservation Commission.

The Court order states:

"....Killam is entitled to due process as contemplated in part I, article 15 of the New Hampshire Constitution. A primary consideration of due process is fundmental fairness. Procedural due process requires an opportunity granted at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner for a hearing appropriate to the nature of the case." Riblet Tramway Co. v. Stickney, 129 N.H. 140, 148 (1987)...."

"Therefore, Killam is reinstated as a Chair of the Raymond Conservation Commission...."

"If the Board wishes to remove Killam for cause as referenced in RSA 36-A:3, it may initiate an action and provide Killam an opportunity for a public hearing. The Board must provide Killam with the basis for its desire to remove her. Within 15 days of receipt of such notice and information, Killam must notify the Board of her desire relative to a hearing. The Court orders that notice by the Board along with its supporting information be provided to Killam in written fashion. As well, the Court orders that Killam provide written notification to the Board of her desire for a public hearing. The board may then schedule its meeting and give notice of the meeting to the public, consistent with the request put forth by Killam. As the Board is aware, it must comply with all aspects of RSA chapter 91-A in its posting and holding of the meeting, whether it is a public or non-public hearing.