Newtown Conservation Commission discussed town open space and the High Meadow Study during its meeting at the Newtown Municipal Center on February 22.

Commission members noted that for their open space evaluation process, they will be going out to look at eligible parcels in town and reporting back about what they find.

The group then moved to discussing meadows to spread perennial seeds this year.

Conservation Commission Chair Holly Kocet asked Rob Sibley, deputy director of planning for the Land Use Agency, if they could seed two different meadow locations.

Sibley answered, “We’ve got about three acres of seed, so it is up to you and the commission how you want to do it.”

Kocet suggested they consider seeding a meadow on Shelley Road or at Pole Bridge Open Space Preserve (which is accessible through Pole Bridge Road) — or try to do both.

After discussing a variety of potential options, the commission agreed that Shelley Road and Pole Bridge Open Space Preserve would both be good locations.

Kocet informed The Newtown Bee on the exact locations on February 24, stating, “The Pole Bridge Open Space meadow is one of the spots chosen to have [Newtown Parks & Recreation] assist our Commission in seeding the meadows to create more diversity of plant material for pollinators. The other site to be seeded is another open space meadow on Shelley Road. It is on the right side of Shelley Road coming off Route 302 and just beyond and bordering the property with the Flag Tree Memorial.”

While a date for seeding is not set, she expects it will commence sometime in May or June.

High Meadow Study

The commission also went over the report of its High Meadow Study for the Board of Selectmen (BOS).

Kocet shared the preliminary closing letter she created that included the history of how they preserved the meadow areas at Fairfield Hills and about the two studies they completed.

“I put in there that the Conservation Commission plans to include another vegetation study in three to five years to see if valuable plant species could be further encouraged to spread throughout the test meadow,” Kocet said.

She noted that it was a suggestion by botanist Bryan Connolly, who assessed the property for the previous studies.

The different sections of the high meadow would be alternately mowed on a three-year cycle.

The commission approved the content of the letter, which will go on to be presented to the BOS.

The last topic discussed was about Earth Day and how the commission would like to participate in the town event on Saturday, April 23, from 10 am to 4 pm.

“Last one we did we talked about all of our open spaces,” Kocet said.

Members noted that one year they passed out “seed balls” for people to throw in their yards to encourage plantings.

The commission will continue to brainstorm ideas and evaluate the materials they currently have that can be used at their booth this year.

The next Conservation Commission meeting will be Tuesday, March 22.

For more information about the Newtown Conservation Commission, visit newtown-ct.gov/conservation-commission and newtownconservation.org.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.