Just What Is Growing In Redding's Open Space?

Will the town create the position of a part-time open space land manager? Before Redding gets to that point, a study would be done in order to most accurately assess the state of the town’s open space.

At the meeting Monday night, members from the Conservation Commission and the Redding Land Trust spoke to the selectmen about the problems facing the town’s open space, and how the hiring of a land manager would be beneficial for getting a better grasp on what is arguably the town’s most important asset.

David Pattee, who chairs the Conservation Commission, told the selectmen of the group's desire — which is shared by the land trust — to survey all major open space tracts in order to find “what kinds of trees” and “what kinds of invasive growth” there is, as well as determining whether there’s something “we really need to be looking at.”

The survey, Pattee said, is necessary “just so that the town understands what we currently have.”

After that survey’s completed, the hypothetical land manager — who would work about 20 hours a week and perhaps take home a salary of $25,000 to $30,000, half of which could theoretically be paid for by the land trust — could help protect Redding’s land from things like invasive species.

“I think it would be a great benefit to have this study,” said Stuart Green, a member of the commission, who added the study would serve as an “inventory and status of the health of the land.”

For the sake of example, Green said there’s a section where the forest is “completely overrun by invasive bayberry.”

“Ultimately to cope with this, it’s going to take a larger effort” than just that of volunteers, he said.

Steve McNamara, of the land trust, echoed this sentiment.

“Doing it on a [solely] volunteer basis is overwhelming,” he said.

Selectman Julia Pemberton asked Green what the potential consequences related to invasive plants are.

“They crowd out the native plants,” Green said. “You start to lose the plants that were there. This can change habitats and affect the kinds of birds that migrate here and thrive here.”

Commissioner Jere Ross said a study is important if for no other reason than to get a better understanding of the town’s resources.

“We don’t know what we don’t know, and that’s where we’re starting from,” he said. “We’ve got these big tracts that have all sorts of variety on them, but that’s about all we know.”

Selectman Donald Takacs voiced support of the trust and commission’s idea.

“I for one think this is a terrific idea,” Takacs said. “Its approach is one that’s really not a budget buster.”

First Selectman Natalie Ketcham said she enjoyed the collaboration between the commission and the land trust, and it was great the two entities were coming together to support a common goal with a common philosophy.

Pemberton also supported the commission’s and land trust’s idea.

“We’ve invested in it,” she said. “We have to maintain it.”

After the meeting, Green said whether the survey is conducted lay in the hands of the selectmen, and the next step, if any, wouldn’t happen until the spring.