Town of Walpole

Conservation Commission

December 1, 2025

(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the January 5, 2026 Conservation Commission meeting.)

Members Present: Nicole Adams, Wendy Grossman, Paul Happ, France Menk, Peter Palmiotto (Cochair & Presiding), John Peska (Cochair), Lewis Shelley, Carolyn Vose (Selectboard Rep)

Alternates Present: Hale Morrell

Members Absent: Tom Beaudry

Visitors Present: Chris Liazos, Alex Barrett

Call to Order: Peter called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm in the Town Hall. 

Seating of Alternates: A quorum was present, so no Alternates were seated.

Review and Approval of Minutes

Paul asked for two corrections to his comments under Hooper Institute Board: “just beautiful” should be “beautiful” and he feels both Greta Drager and George Gowdy are doing a great job.  Wendy said the header “Rail Trail Work Plan” should be “Rail Trail Work”.  John moved to accept November 3, 2025 minutes as amended. France seconded and all voted in favor. The motion carried.   

Public Business

Financial Report: 

• Conservation $283,352.18
• Forestry $53,687.58

Correspondence: (2) Monadnock Conservancy newsletters

New Business

Bird Friendly Family Forests: Chris Liazos’ goal is to help us understand our Town.  He brought a printed draft report.  His three suggestions for Walpole are (1) encourage white oak regeneration, (2) try to make large blocks of forest with mixed canopy, and (3) use report as ongoing resource because of all information he included.  We need to get Hooper Institute involved, especially getting the students building boxes (plans available) for the birds found in his study.  The Town will need to plan what to harvest next to make more young forests of at least 2.5 acres.  Chris asked that the Commission review his report and get comments to him right away.  His goal is to have the final copy of report by the beginning of 2026.

Trail Committee

Rail Trail Work Plan: Will and Wendy will not manage rail trail maintenance next year because of other commitments.  They will turn the project over to someone else, but Wendy is willing to consult on the 2026 Work Plan.  She gave a summary of rail trail work history, potential projects for 2026, and responses from the Bureau of Trails to questions about work plan preparation.  As a minimum, Nicole is willing to use the 2025 special use permit to write the rail trail work plan for next year.  Wendy will prepare the history section.

The state is willing to do a certification for chain saw users and we should do that.

Other Trails: Will, Wendy and Greta Drager walked the Hooper Woods to help her plan for future uses.  On 11/8 at Rail Trail Work Day they had twelve people and did a lot of ditch and drainage work.

Old Business

• Fanny Mason Forest Management: Fanny Mason Forest winter harvest: Alex did the intent to cut; Chris Ricci will file it.  Then they will create a contract.  They can do the harvest once the ground freezes.  The property boundaries are marked as are the trees to be cut.
• Red Pine and Invasives: Today was the second day of invasives treatments, and that is complete.  The red pine at the rest area must all be cut (about 4 acres).  This lot is not yet marked but red pine scale has reached Keene.  Alex will get a variance – cannot remove all trees within 150 feet of a highway, but leaving these trees would create a hazard.  Alex will mark the trees, create the RFP, and contact the bidders.  Since time is critical, he recommends not limiting the equipment to be used in the RFP.  He hopes to harvest late this winter/early spring.  He will specify that slash be mitigated near the rest area as it would be a fire hazard.  Carolyn will check who should receive the quotes, the Selectboard or the Conservation Commission.

Easement Monitoring: Peter and Wendy did Wendy’s property, and the report has been submitted.  Wendy just did Mill Pond, Graves, and Ballam Farm.  All are OK, but the reports have not been submitted. Wendy will be going with a representative of Monadnock Conservancy to monitor Nelson Town Forest and the adjacent one.

Reservoir Dam: Fuss & O’Neill are working on detailed plans for the option of breaching the dam.

Mt. Kilborne: The Commission is awaiting North Walpole comments before signing a letter of recommendation.

Knapp Cranberry Bog Dam: The Fletcher estate owns adjacent property.  Paul is thinking about asking DES Dam and DES Wetlands for joint onsite advice.  Since the bog is almost filled in, does it make sense to breach the dam?  It would be difficult to get an excavator to the dam unless it could go across the bridge.  Lew and Paul will look to see if it has I-beams. Paul will start asking abutters what they think about breaching the dam.

Other Business and Updates

Hooper Institute Board: Paul will ask what the Board thinks about breaching the Knapp Cranberry Bog Dam and what they think the area could be used for if the dam is breached.

Agenda for the January 5, 2026 Meeting

• No items

Adjournment: Peter declared the meeting adjourned at 9:11 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

Tagged: CONSERVATION COMMISSION, Meeting Minutes