Charge to the Forest Advisory Committee

In accordance with the provisions of the Eastham Home Rule Charter section 9.5.14, the Board of Selectmen hereby appoints a committee that shall be known as the 1651 Forest Advisory Committee. The committee shall oversee the continuous implementation and maintenance of the 1651 Forest, an approximation of a primeval forest that blanketed Eastham in 1651

The forest is located within Wiley Park, and is being installed in accordance with the 1651 Handbook accepted by the Board of Selectmen and on file in the following town locations: Town Clerk's Office; Planning Department; Public Library and the Natural Resources Office. The committee shall make decisions concerning the interpretation of specific terms and conditions included in the handbook as it relates to the timing, type, and maintenance of plants, to ensure the continuation of the forest.

The committee shall consist of five members, serving three-year overlapping terms. One member shall be a current member of the Conservation Commission, one member shall be a current member of the Open Space Committee, one member shall be the current President of the Friends of the Eastham 1651 Arboretum, and two members shall be at-large. All members shall be Eastham taxpayers/residents. The committee shall meet a minimum of four times per year, with one such meeting as a joint meeting with the Friends of the Eastham 1651 Arboretum. The joint meeting shall be alternately chaired by the Chair of the Advisory Committee and the Chair of the Friends of the 1651 Arboretum (i.e., Consider "Friends" Chair in even years, and "Advisory" Chair in odd years).

The committee shall annually prepare a report for the Board of Selectmen, to be reviewed by them at a public meeting in December of each year. Said report shall include information concerning the viability of plants in the forest and planned plant additions or replacements, if any, for the upcoming year.

Staff liaison to the committee may be the Natural Resource Officer/Conservation Agent. (The Board of Selectmen shall make an effort, due to the technical nature of this committee, to include a botanist, environmental scientist, landscape architect, or horticulturist in the membership.).

(Adopted June 6, 2005)