Charlestown Township Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) Meeting Minutes Friday, May 12, 2023

Meeting was held at Township Office 11 General Warren Blvd., Suite 1. Armstrong opened the meeting at 7:06.

April minutes approved.

Place Holders

• Brightside Farm Riparian Buffer Planting, Deerfield Riparian Buffer
• Stream Naming (un-named tributaries)
• Battery Recycling Program
• Education Series
• EAC web page where residents can get information on disposing of household items
• Friends of Charlestown.us website
• Weed Warriors
• Kendig and Jenkins conservation parks
• Synthetic turf in Charlestown Park
• Invasive Species

New Business

1. GIS Mapping- offer from We Conserve PA to provide education on how to create a GIS Map. Armstrong sent recommendations to the EAC regarding possible projects; a) Flooding/Watershed Management (storm water runoff) or b)riparian buffer analysis. Armstrong will consult with We Conserve PA to see if the projects we have would be a good use of GIS. She will report back to the EAC next month.
2. May 16^th Election Day table- sign ups, Birdtown, Native Species Day materials. Goodman will go for a couple of hours and if he sees substantial interest he will text the rest of us to help man the table. Green suggested printing copies of quizzes to put on the table. Everyone agreed.

Ongoing Business

1. Storage Closet (in township meeting room) Shelving - Stephanie sent options. Everyone agreed we should buy the shelves.
2. Single Use Plastic bags/items ban -Anu is still working on the scope.
3. Wild Flower walk- Is EAC interested in taking this on from Parks and Rec? Armstrong will get back to Cordelia Kane and suggest she go back to Parks and Rec. and solicit another member of that committee for help.
4. RES Work at Brightside Park - no update.
5. Birdtown- Andy Motel put purple bird boxes in Brightside. He also coordinated a bird walk for beginners on May 31.
6. Keep PA Beautiful- Walker must reconnect with Flagger Force.
7. Mushpekat Creek - Goodman and Armstrong spoke to Lenape group in Allentown. There isn’t an obvious objection to this name. USGS never got back to Goodman. We have done due diligence.
8. Naming of headwater tributary at Charlestown Park – perennial stream that starts at Charlestown Park. There is a process for naming. Armstrong researched historical records. No atlases or maps have names for this or other southern French Creek tributaries. Armstrong continues to research possible names.
9. Pennsylvania Native Species Day, May 18^th, 2023- Goodman is the chair of subcommittee. Materials have been posted on the website. Kids art from Charlestown Elementary, Charlestown Playschool, Facebook, GV School District, Post Office. An email was sent to the EAC Mailing List. Haven’t heard from adults regarding quiz. Send quiz to BoS, township personnel, subcommittees. Goodman donated seed packet giveaways and labeled them all. Very generous - thanks Pete!!
10. Invasives - Discussed incentives for homeowners. Richardson will think about leading a project to provide ideas and incentives for homeowners.
11. Nature News topic for July Succession Planting, How to maintain birds on your property, how do you know if you have an ecological healthy yard. Tomato Horn Worms. Wasps destroy these (research, ask Sharon).
12. White Pine Disease - Township fertilized these trees. It will help to fortify them and hopefully allow them to survive the blight
13. Battery Collection - Now available - containers are in the Lobby of the township building and at the Devault Post Office. Already a good amount of batteries in township bucket.
14. Township Newsletters - (due dates are: 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, 10/15); Future topic ideas include:
    1. What to do when you hit a deer (good topic for fall).
15. Community Education
    1. Relationship with indigenous people. Armstrong will contact her friend in the Lehigh Valley)
    2. Birdtown programs
    3. Tour of invasive species
    4. Watershed friendly property certification
16. Brightside and Deerfield riparian buffers- Goodman contacted Deerfield about mowing the meadow in March. Didn’t happen due to rain. No action since and too late now. Armstrong and Walker volunteered to work on current buffers at Brightside. Need more volunteers for Brightside and Deerfield. Armstrong will use budget dollars to buy fencing for the buffers. Armstrong and Goodman to go Brightside to assess.
17. Charlestown riparian buffer opportunities - Armstrong, Goodman and Solomon walked the stream in Charlestown Township Park. It was suggested that we ask Stroud to initiate a project to help. Armstrong and Goodman will contact Stroud.

Meeting adjourned at 8:55.