NEXT MEETING:

JUNE 7, 2003          10am-12pm PHOENICIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
                                 12pm-1pm Broad Street Hollow Stream Restoration Site Visit

We made it thru the 4^th snowiest winter on record without any disastrous floods  (fingers always crossed) - a good omen sign to begin our association.

Our meeting was again held at the Phoencia Elementary School and we had a good group of members attend.  The meeting was chaired by Frank Falatyn.  Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District (GCSWCD) was represented by Rene Van Schaack and Amy DeGaetano.  Mark Vian was there for the NYC DEP.  Also in attendance was Rachel Weissman from the Phoenicia Times & Woodstock Times.

Mark Vian started the meeting discussion by announcing that the GCSWCD had successfully secured a funding grant from The Watershed Forestry Program of the NYC Water Agricultural Program for implementation of streamside buffer restoration in the Stony Clove watershed this summer. The grant will help fund stream planting in some of the areas where this low level bank stabilization method will work.  It was explained that this grant is just a start - the beginning of a long, involved effort by both the local governmental agencies and the members of our association to improve the quality of the water and life in the Stony Clove watershed.  Larger, more involved projects will have to wait until the Stony Clove Management Plan is completed by GCSWCD (end of this year) and more funding is secured.  For now, the details of the demonstration planting project(s) and the selection of the work sites need to be defined this spring so that work can hopefully commence this summer. 

From our discussion, the following ideas and recommendations were suggested:

· The association recommended that the GCSWCD send a general mailing to all Stony Clove residents explaining the streamside planting grant's purpose and the plan for identifying and selecting appropriate planting sites.  We feel it is important that all residents understand the basic goals of the project.

· Based upon the response from the general mailing, the GCSWCD should then mail a more detailed letter to selected streamside landowners who might be the best candidates for conducting the stream planting projects.  This letter should stress that participation in the projects is voluntary.  The letter should also detail possible costs required of the landowner, their responsibilities during and after the project is completed and the options/choices they have for plantings. 

· One of the main objectives of the association's & local government's joint work is the education of our members.  This demonstration project will also provide all members the opportunity to learn the methods of stream plantings for bank protection and water quality protection.  Rene mentioned, that as part of this process, tours could be setup to visit other demonstration sites done by GCSWCD in other watershed areas.  Tours could be conducted after the association's next scheduled meeting.  The tours could also be promoted by having the GCSWCD publish and mail another newsletter to all Stony Clove residents.

A demonstration stream restoration project has been done for the Broadstreet Hollow watershed in partnership with the areas residents.  This project is similar to the Lanesville stream restoration project scheduled to begin this summer.  These projects use natural stream channel design to restore an unstable portion of stream using the physical shape or form characteristics from a stable reference reach to reconstruct the unstable reach to a shape that will allow the stream to transport its water and sediment load without causing erosion.  Natural stream channel design incorporates in-channel rock structures, called rock vanes and cross vanes to increase stability by reducing stress on the stream banks.  Riparian vegetation is also a critical factor in long term stream stability,

providing deep rooting vegetation is an important part of the restoration project.  Rene Van Schaack, from the GCSWCD will present  a short slide show at the end of the watershed association meeting describing the natural stream restoration project in detail.  Afterwards, Rene will lead a site visit at to the Broadstreet Hollow stream restoration site so you can see these stream restoration techniques first hand.  The site located nearby on Boardstreet Hollow Road, off of Route 28.  Participants should wear sturdy shoes such as sneakers or hiking boots.

Also discussed at the meeting was a first draft of suggestions for the Stony Clove Watershed Association's by-laws, drafted by Frank Falatyn.  This outline of by-laws is to be used as a starting point of discussion as to what the objectives (mission) are for the association and how we want to organize and operate our group.  A section was also included about how we define our association's membership.  Copies of the draft were distributed and members were asked to review them and make comments/suggestions at the next meeting.  Any of our members who would like a copy of this draft can contact Frank Falatyn.

Also distributed was a list of proposed projects which our association might do.  It is important that we organize and promote activities in the watershed that would be of interest to all our members.  Again those at the meeting were asked to review the list of projects and make comments/suggestions at the next meeting.  Any of our members who would like a copy of these projects can contact Frank Falatyn below.

Finally, Amy DeGaetano gave our association a computer generated map of the entire Stony Clove watershed district which shows all important stream and road locations and all property lot lines.  We are currently working to identify all potential streamside members and list those who belong to the association.  We are also hoping to use this information to promote communication and activities amongst our members.  Amy also volunteered to set up a web site for our association on the GCSWCD web site.  (This has since been done.  You can view the start of our new association's web site at:
http://www.gcswcd.com/stream/stonyclove/watershedassociation/).  Many thanks to Amy for all her help and support.

We hope to see all our members at our next meeting.

If you can, please let us know that you are coming by sending Frank Falatyn an email at frank@falahome.com or by calling him at home tel: (845) 339-0230.  We will be serving coffee and tea, please feel free to bring any breakfast treats or snacks.