Meeting Times and Location:
Meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of each month
at Town Hall at 7:00PM.
REPORT OF SURRY CONSERVATION COMMISSION 1999
The past year has been another busy for the Surry Conservation Commission.
As you may be aware, the commission was inactive for quite some time,
before being appointed two years ago. This year our fifth member, Rebecca
Todd, joined us.
We have been working on fulfilling one of the tasks required by state law:
an inventory of natural resources for the town. To that end, we distributed
a survey earlier this year to many households last fall to learn what is
important to residents. The overwhelming majority of respondents said they
wanted to see the town retain its rural character. There was also a great
deal of interest in mapping a network of trails through town. If you did not
receive a copy of the survey, please contact any member of the Conservation
Commission and we will forward a copy to you. Surveys will also be available
at town hall.
The Conservation Commission volunteered through the state's Adopt-A-Highway
program to clean up trash along a two-mile stretch of Route 12A. Our first
clean up netted more than 35 bags of trash. Contact any member of the
Commission if you would like to join us in future cleanup efforts.
In the coming year we hope to continue working on the natural resource
inventory, and to work with the Planning Board in updating the town's Master
Plan. We will seek to provide input that will protect natural resources and
the town's rural character.
The Commission is also working with the local snowmobile club that has
constructed a trail network, to develop a map that would be suitable for use
by hikers, showing the trails, and possibly some of the natural features
along them. We have also endorsed a request from the club, that the Army
Corps of Engineers allow construction of a wooden foot and snowmobile bridge
over Merriam Brook, on the closed road north of the village. If the Corps
approves the project, we will provide volunteer labor for its construction.
We'd like to take this opportunity to remind landowners that if they plan
any construction or excavation, in or near a swamp, pond, brook, or other
wetlands, they should contact the Commission for advice on whether a wetlands
permit would be needed. It is a relatively simple process, and can avoid
complications during construction.
Meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of each month at Town Hall at 7:00PM.
The public is always welcomed to attend.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Richter, Chair
Frank Richter
Rebecca Todd
Bill Fosher
John Davis
WebMaster 302
11:51 AM on 01/18/2002