Westwoods Trails Meeting
January 22 , 2002
Guilford Community Center
Chair: Paul Proulx.
Meeting began: 7:30 PM
Attendance: 16 people. Bill Blaha, Erin Craig, Eleanor Epler, Ron DiMartino, Richard DiNardo, Bob Handschumacher, Karen Klugman, Susan Kukle, Dave Middleton, Peter Otis, Sandra Porter, Paul Proulx, Fred Richards, Sally Richards, Audrey Teofilo, Lauren Brown

Approval of Minutes: Note the following corrections: 1) Huber Hurlock will mark trees on state property with white, not with yellow as was stated. 2) The minutes incorrectly stated that Team A reported "no progress cutting trees." In fact, Team A cut 8 trees.

Resignations/New Members/ Member News: none

GLCT Report: none

Trail Reports:
Westwoods.
-Team A (28 hrs) - (Bob Handschumacher) Rich DiNardo worked with Dave Mahan to eliminate a makeshift bridge on Yellow Trail. They also swept Cable Rock. Rich noted a very dangerous hanging tree at the intersection of the Yellow Circle and Violet Circle Trails. Bob H and Bill Blaha cut 20 marked trees on GLCT portion of the Green Rectangle Trail, including several problem trees that hung up or took unanticipated directions when they fell. They returned to cut 6 more trees on GLCT property and 10 on state land. During a thrid trip, they cut 7 more trees on state land. They encountered two problems with hangups and 2 trees that fell 180° from their predicted route. One of these (60-70 feet high) injured Bill Blaha, who suffered 4 broken ribs. He was on the trail at a presumed safe distance and scrambled when told that it was falling the wrong way, but was struck by a 3"-4" branch that was about 10 feet from the top of the tree. Bob feels that the risk of our cutting large Hemlocks far exceeds the risk to hikers if we were to do nothing. (See discussion New Business/ To Cut or Not to Cut).
-Team B. (Dia Robinson)
-Team C (64 hrs) . (Karen Owen-Buckley). Fred and Sally marked hemlocks for removal on both sides on entire Nature Trail. Paul reported that 146 trees have been removed from the Nature Trail.
Nut Plains - no report
Paul Trail- OK
Kampmeyer- no report
Eastwoods - OK
Hoadley Creek- A van with boxes in it was parked for two days. It knocked over a boxwood bush.
Spencer Creek -- OK

Work Parties.
-Community Work Party (CWP) - Because of insurance and the problem of trails being officially closed, these work parties are temporarily on hold. They might resume as trails are open.

Old Business
-State signage - The state will work with Paul Proulx to provide signs and maps showing open loop trails highlighted in blue. They will be concerned only with state land.

New Business
-To Cut or Not to Cut - (See injury incident Westwoods Trails Report/ Team A).
-Bob Handschumacher reiterated that he feels that the risk of our work parties doing large-scale cutting far exceeds the risk to hikers if we were to do nothing. He expressed that he would be happy to clear fallen trees and an occasional leaner, but will no longer take part in the mass cuttings. He submitted a 2 ½ page report that includes a summary of 3 occasions since September 01 when team members or others have been directly in the path of a falling tree. His report also includes an analysis of the potential risk to hikers of falling trees compared to the potential risk to members or other persons from the process of cutting them. According to Bob's estimates, we might expect over 20 accidents (injury or death) to clear Westwoods as proposed with the state doing the other half. As opposed to an expected 1 exposure to risk per 10 years for all trail users combined (100,000 walks).
-Fred feels that with "a little training," we can safely fell trees. The skillful cutters know how to use ropes for leverage.
-Rich DeNardo made the point that if the state is not going to enforce the closing of the woods, why should we cut? We may be less liable having the trails closed than if we declare them to be safe by making them open.
-Peter Otis expressed concern about the fact that Hemlocks break at mid-bole and that the crowns fall separately from the rest of the tree.
-Audrey feels that we should try to reopen trails and work within the legal system set by higher authorities.
-Susan Kukle suggested that we let hikers know of other places to hike.
-Paul asked that cutters do not go out alone and report back to Paul about results.
-Signs for Members - Sally Richards will make up ID signs that say "Westwoods Trail Member. "
-Press coverage on Trail Closings - Channel 8 News interviewed Paul Proulx. An editorial from state forester Donald H. Smith Jr. appeared in the New Haven Register on January 9 stating the opinion that the woods are definitely unsafe due to the dead Hemlocks.
-Help Wanted for Trail Cutting - Lauren Brown from the Branford and New Haven Land Trusts announced a need for volunteers to help blaze a trail through a newly acquired piece of land behind the Pond Lily Factory. Fred and Sally volunteered to lend their bushwacker and an operator.
-Shoreline Greenway Trail - Citizens of Branford, Guilford, and Madison have established a committee to develop a multi-use trail from New Haven to Hammonasset Beach and possibly beyond for non-motorized recreation. To keep informed and to get notices of meetings by mail or by email, call or email Jennifer Allcock, 453-5041, jallcock@worldnet.att.net .
-Braemore Property- Bill Johnson from the Conservation Commission sent an email announcing that the town is developing trails on the Braemore Property. Ten people are on the volunteer list and he would like 3 or 4 Westwoods Trails members to assist. Fred will lend his measuring wheel. If you are interested, contact Bill at wjohnson01@msn.com or at 457-0505.

Adjornment - The meeting was adjourned at 8:50pm
Recording Secretaries -- Sally Richards and Karen Klugman