Forest and Parks Commission

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Press Release: Forest and Parks Commission Grant Award

ByTierney Farago

The Chelsea Forest and Parks Commission received a grant from the Vermont
Community Foundation to create a Pollinator garden on one of the vacant FEMA
properties in downtown Chelsea for community use.

The $3,000 received from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Spark Connecting
Community grant program will help to create a flowering tree lot on the former
Babcock/Lyon property at 12 Maple Avenue.

The Spark Connecting Community Grant program puts building and nurturing
communities front and center. The Foundation aims to support the work happening
throughout Vermont’s 251 towns that build social capital. These grants – where a small
amount can make a big difference– are intended to light the spark that keeps
Vermonters healthy and happy.

The plan is to plant crabapple trees adding spring flowering bulbs at the base of each
tree, install bird and butterfly houses and have benches and other places for people to
sit. The transformation of an empty lot into a relaxing, beautiful garden for the
community and encouraging pollinators and birdlife is the goal. The Parks and Forest
Commission encourages everyone to be part of the planning, design, and implantation
of the project. The project will include a “kick-off” informational session for the
community and integrate the project into the local school curriculum on the importance
of pollinators. The project will also collaborate with the “Youth Wellbeing Project”
through SafeArt Summer camps. The theme for the summer camps this year is “Crafts
and Connection”. The Forest and Parks Commission can be contacted through their
email of chelsea-forest-parks@googlegroups.com and the group meets the first Monday
of every month at the Chelsea Library at 6:00. All are welcome to attend.

The Vermont Community Foundation inspires giving and brings people and resources
together to make a difference in Vermont. A family of hundreds of funds and
foundations, we provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise that
make it easy for the people who care about Vermont to find and fund the causes they
love. The heart of the Community Foundation’s work is closing the opportunity gap –
the divide that leaves too many Vermonters struggling to get ahead, no matter how hard
they work. We are aligning our time, energy, and discretionary resources on efforts that
provide access to early care and learning, pathways to college and career training,
support for youth and families, and community and economic vitality. We envision
Vermont at its best – where everyone has the opportunity to build a bright, secure
future. Visit vermontcf.org or call 802-388-3355 for more information.

Chelsea Town Forest and Parks Commission Meeting Minutes 3.18.2024

ByJesse Kay

 

Special meeting – March 18, 2024

6:00 p.m. via Zoom 

In attendance: Jen Chase, Marty Gratz, John Upham, John Latham, Peter Amber, Robin Amber, Susan Elder

  1.  Public Comments – None. 
  2.  Pollinator Project – Revisions to Spark Grant reviewed.  Motion made to approve draft for submission to Selectboard. All in favor. Passed. 
  3. Adjourn.  

CFPC Meeting Notice

ByJesse Kay

The newly created Chelsea Forest and Parks Commission will meet the first Monday of every month for the year of 2024. 

Jan. 8, Feb. 5, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, Sept. 2, October 7, Nov. 4, Dec. 2

The meetings are held at the Chelsea Public Library at 6:00 p.m.

The meetings are open to the public and we encourage your input

11/6/23 Forests and Parks Commission Meeting Minutes

ByJesse Kay

Present: Robin Amber, Kate Willard, John Latham, Jen Chase, Andrew Pomerantz, Susan Elder, Linda Kuban, Pete Amber and Marty Gratz (via Zoom). 

Kate Willard:  Discussed work done on drafting an Ordinance and information gleaned from discussions with selectboard, VLCT, grant organizations, and others to determine whether an ordinance is really the best avenue. She suggested that perhaps a Mission statement is all that is needed. 

Linda: Agrees that Mission statement should be used instead. 

Andy: Feels the question needs to go back to selectboard for guidance. An Ordinance could be the ultimate goal of the group giving guidance of rules and regulation on use of parcels. 

Kate: Agrees it is up to selectboard to make this decision.

Marty: Agrees bringing issue back to selectboard and that a mission statement is a better fit. Selectboard seemed to be asking for help due to so much work on their plate. 

Susan: Found out that some grants do not require Ordinance. Review of some Ordinances currently on books. Discussion needs to happen about whether to include Heath Field and Roberts Gould land. Perhaps include a Rec Department person to this group. 

Pete: He had done work for both Will Gilman on the Roberts Gould land and at Heath Field so maybe rec. Dept. would like a collaborative approach or advice from this committee.

Robin: Tunbridge mission statement is reviewed from their website. She is on Rec. committee and will discuss with them the issue of Heath Field and basketball court/playground area. 

Kate: Would like to pursue getting the forest management plan to address multi-use options with Pagenelli before he retires. 

John: Would like to know from selectboard what are  plans for suggested timber harvesting. Hesitant to jump aboard multi-use as it may encourage mis-use. Trails are one thing but opening forests up to ATV,  and bikes invites trouble which some states experience. 

Kate: Will bring these issues to selectboard tomorrow night under “public Comments”. 

Robin: Next meeting is Jan. 8th at Library at 6:00 p.m. 

End at 7:10 p.m.