Vassalboro conservation commission discusses responsibilities

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Conservation Commission members spent most of their Oct. 15 meeting discussing their responsibilities as stewards of Monument Park and Eagle Park, on Route 32 (Main Street), in and just north of East Vassalboro Village.

For Monument Park, they decided to ask the select board about applying for a Grow Grant to help fund planting along part of the shoreline. The planting would have two purposes: helping prevent erosion and thereby protecting water quality, and serving as an educational demonstration of shoreline protection measures.

Commission members further decided they would apply only if future maintenance funding is available. The amount is undetermined; commission member Steve Jones said it would probably vary from year to year.

Jones owns Fieldstone Gardens, in Vassalboro. The other commission members used his expertise to compile a list of appropriate vegetation last spring.

Grow Grant applications are due in March and September annually. Awards range from $1,000 to $4,000; Jones said Vassalboro would likely need an amount closer to $4,000.

The other main topic Oct. 15 was renewed discussion of the proposal from John Melrose, chairman of Vassalboro’s Trails Committee, to add identifying signs to the trees in Eagle Park (see the Sept. 18 issue of The Town Line, p. 2). Melrose has signs; the park already has most of the trees they would go on, but a few – balsam fir, yellow birch and others — are missing.

Commission members intend to add them, but not until next year. Decisions about money and tree locations are therefore not yet urgent.

Jones and Melrose have had ongoing discussions. Jones said Melrose has already labeled some trees.

In other business, commission chairman Holly Weidner reported on conservation work being done by multiple agencies and organizations in the lake watersheds in Vassalboro, including China Lake, Three-Mile Pond and Webber Pond.

Commission members scheduled their next meeting for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the town office meeting room. Interested residents are welcome at all meetings.