New Officers For Forest Association

Newtown Forest Association held its annual meeting with board members and guests in May.

The business meeting included reports from Martha Wright, the current president; as well as Treasurer and Membership Committee Chair Guy Peterson, Land Stewardship Chair Bob Eckenrode, Holcombe Preserve Property Committee Chair CaraLeigh Wilson, and Land Acquisition Committee Chair Tim Northrop.

Tim Northrop was appointed board secretary, replacing Coke Cramer, and Ed Kelleher is succeeding Wes Gillingham as vice president. Coke Cramer and Wes Gillingham will continue to serve on the board.

The board publicly announced the rekindling of Newtown Forest Association’s Largest Tree Contest. The contest involves finding and identifying the largest living tree of a specific species common in the area. The 2006 contest encourages residents to locate the largest sugar maple.

A cash prize of $250 will be awarded to the first person who has officially reported the location of Newtown’s Largest Living Sugar Maple Tree. To enter, complete the form found on its website (NewtownForestAssociation.org) or send email to NFATreeContest@NewtownForestAssociation.org.

All entries must be received by August 15. Trees must be located in Newtown, and all contestants must have the owner’s permission before entering private land.

In addition, the board also announced the date to sponsor free guided hikes on several of NFA’s properties. A full schedule is available online.

Guest speaker Claire Delavigne spoke about geocaching and several newly listed caches hidden on the NFA properties. A contest offering a free annual membership to the “First-to-Find” was claimed by noon the next day by two avid geocachers.