The Committee held a meeting on Monday, April 1.
- The Woods Committee will be supporting the proposed change to the hunting Ordinance to permit bow hunting by licensed Montgomery County Deer Management approved cooperators. The WC has not yet selected a cooperator but hopes to make that selection in the next week. A deer management informational meeting is being planned during the summer months.
- The WC and the Lake Committee are sponsoring a work day in the West Woods on Saturday, April 27, from 10:00 to 12:00 in the morning. The WC will focus on litter clean up along our west boundary with Family Services and Kelley Park and along our north boundary with Towne Crest. Depending on numbers of volunteers, we may hand pull garlic mustard and use the weed wrench to control Japanese barberry.
- There are several trees of heaven along our west boundary near the Kelley Park ball field. The WC will contact the City of Gaithersburg to inquire whether they will control/remove this aggressive Non Native Invasive plant or whether the WC may assume that responsibility.
- The WC’s brief discussion of exclosures touched on location, size, control of deer within the exclosure, cost, maintenance, and aesthetics. The WC does not intend to move forward with consideration of exclosures until after a full season of deer control through authorized hunting has occurred.
- The WC plans a presentation at the annual Town Meeting about our three-pronged approach to forest health with an emphasis on deer management.