FRANCONIA CONSERVATION COMMISSION
During the Franconia Conservation Commission 2014 Season:
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The Commission participated in the Lafayette School Earth Day Celebration. With the Lafayette Student
Council, we cleaned Shitte Creek and the Gale River Trail.
With the help of Chris Collman, Sam Johnk and the Garnet Hill Green Team, the trails in Fox Hill Park and
along the Gale River were cut back.
After walking the boundaries of Fox Hill Park with SPNHF it was determined that one landowner is
encroaching on town land and are making efforts to clean this up. The park itself is well maintained.
$5,000 was given to Plymouth State University for trout study of the Ham Branch of the Gale River.
The program has sought to educate, provide outreach, and promote goodwill.
Community ideas:
1. A strategic removal of the Japanese Knotweed
2. Trash clean up along the river, usually headed by the local Lions Club, but more help is needed
3. Removal of construction debris and overflow from residents and business.
4. Continued monitoring possibly by a school co-operation, measuring temperatures and turbidity.
An opportunity for Profile and Lafayette students – a staff member would be needed to coordinate
these efforts.
Respectfully submitted,
Kimberly Cowles, Chairman
John LaChapelle
Mary Grote
Kathryn McCarthy
Red McCarthy
Ginny Jeffryes
Chris Nicodemus
Eric Pospesil