January 30, 2009
Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 9:10.
Members present: John Ouellette, Bill Carlson, Larry Severeid, Don Nichols, Paul Kloppenburg, Chuck Yager, Dave Ladd, Beth Schaldach, Erik Thomsen, Ray Amiel, Al Goetsch, Don Wanless
Going off of the Board: Ingrid Olson, Hans Morsbach, Chuck Yager
Welcome of new board members: Don Wanless, Beth Schaldach and Ray Amiel welcomed to the board.
Present Board Members: John Ouellette (president) Bill Carlson (vice-president), Larry Severeid (treasurer), Paul Kloppenburg (secretary), Don Nichols, Alan Rault, Jim Widder
Secretaries Report: Paul Kloppenburg mailed a letter and ballots on January 22, 2009 to 162 people to vote on three new board members. Suggested we email new mailings to as many members as possible and mail the rest. This will save time and money. Read the letter that was sent out on the upcoming events the Walnut Council will be involved with. The letter reminded members to pay their 2009 dues.
Treasurers Report: A net worth of $5,249.55 as of December 31, 2008 was reported by Larry Severeid. The fall field day we were intending to break even, but fell short by $200. The intent with the field days is to be educational, not to make a large profit. There will be dues coming in from the 2009 memberships.
Committee Reports:
Tree Improvement: Larry Severeid commented on butternut
improvement. There is cooperation with
the United States Forest Service on grafting butternut all over the
Saving the chestnut is not as optimistic. American with Japanese. American with Chinese genes (Not fully able to resist blight).
Larry is working on a project to have last years buds attached/grafted to an emerging nut (success with walnut and chestnut)
Suggestion to have a display on butternut with the walnut tri-fold.
A Motion to make Larry
Severeid, Beth Schaldach and Eric Thomsen Committee Chairs of Tree Improvement was
made and passed.
Website: (Alan Rault not present). The website traffic has been moving up since early 2008.
Eric Thomsen thought the site could use more pictures. He could furnish photos from past events. There are a lot of web links on Website.
- Suggestions to communicate with other members via a “For Sale Section”.
- Possible revenue source to have companies listed on the website links, charging for links? Eric will talk to Alan about charging for links.
- John O. mentioned that the website should be active not static.
Exhibits: Ingrid Olson did PR before. Eric Thomsen suggested using a screen with
computer to display photos at exhibits. Eric will prepare a proposal of cost to do electronic displays as mentioned above; the
proposal will be approved via emails.
Motion was made and passed.
Don Wanless mentioned a “log arch” made in
Marketing: We need new committee members. Don Nichols was nominated. Chuck Yager did it previously.
Topics: Economics of walnut, promote veneer walnut management and when to sell timber, non plantation walnut (more info on it), GPS trees to keep track of them.
The Walnut Chapter of the DNR silvicultural handbook will be updated.
Membership: Recruitment of new members committee. Don
Wanless was nominated.
We didn’t even have new member applications at the 2008 fall field day. In the past we mailed new member applications to people that purchased walnuts from the State nursery.
Question: Should members pay for field days?
Public Relations: Ray Amiel was
nominated chair.
2009 Spring Field Day:
Al Goetsch Tree Farm,
Was mixed forest,
beautiful property south of
Logistics: Ray Amiel and Steve Holaday. Send out agenda 6 weeks in
advance. It’s accessible; there is a shop if it rains, big building and old
barn. In early April have agenda ready, joint marketing with WWOA.
WWOA and IL Walnut Council should be invited.
2009 Fall Field Day:
October 10, 2009 is proposed. Looking at having the field day at Hans
Morsbach property
in
Bill Carlson will call Hans Morsbach about the field day.
2011 National Meeting
Symposium (July 31-August 2, 2011):
Larry Severeid will be chair. (Involved Ingrid, John O., Tom Hill, Dave Ladd, Bill Carlson, Paul Kloppenburg, etc.)
Sunday evening through Wednesday. Presentation on Monday, Field day and banquet on Tuesday, Regional people on Wednesday
Every 5 years Walnut Council has a symposium for research on walnut
Field day: 1) Dave Ladd’s property in Iowa Co.
2) Hal Manhart’s property in Barneveld (has chestnut) and 8
miles apart from Dave’s property.
3)
Hotel: Madison Marriot costs $108; traditionally the cost for hotel is $80
$85. Still looking at hotel options. Looking at hosting events at
American Family in
from it.
Questions: National meetings at evening banquet, international invitees,
have someone from University (Glen Stanosz?), Choose
topics, have papers, presentation schedule.
Other
activities:
Foundation, spouse activities, Forest Products Lab?
Other Topics:
1) Invasive
Species on
to address this issue.
2)
3) Madison Children’s Museum project. John O. spoke about donating wood to the museum. He donated 12,000-14,000 bdft of ash. They are making furniture and flooring out of wood. Possibly other members would want to donate wood products. (Ray A. will speak with Fred Deppler to honor Albert Deppler, he has a lot of wood products). Stan Peskar also has a lot of wood.
Send out info on this project to Walnut Council members, WWOA Bad Axe and Blackhawk chapter members to see about donations. Tax deductible gifts (logs/lumber).
New Business:
Larry Servereid welcomed new board members.
Upcoming events:
February 7, 2009: Southeast Wisconsin Woodland Owners
Conference at County Springs Hotel and
February 28, 2009: Madison Area Woodland Owners Conference,
being held at the
March 13, 2009: National Board of Directors meeting
March 14, 2009:
May 16, 2009: 2009 Spring Field Day: Al Goetsch Tree Farm in
Summer/Fall
2009: Walnut Council going to
October 10,
2009: Fall Field Day,
The Meeting was
adjourned at 12:30am