PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Media Contact
Hannah Phillips, State Lands Administration Program Manager
Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation | Agency of Natural Resources
hannah.phillips@vermont.gov; 802-622-4661
Public Invited to Comment on State Lands Management Planning Process
Montpelier, VT- The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has released a draft rule to guide the management planning process for lands owned and managed by ANR. The public is invited to comment on the draft rule until November 1, 2024.
ANR owns and manages approximately 375,000 acres of public lands across the State of Vermont through its three departments: the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR); Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (FWD); Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). These lands provide immense value by supporting diverse wildlife habitats, offering abundant recreational opportunities, preserving vital natural resources, enhancing the state’s resilience to climate change, and contributing significantly to the well-being of our environment and the prosperity of our communities.
Management plans are the guiding documents that determine how these public lands are managed and that outline the approach for balancing these different demands on and for our state lands, as well as meet our stewardship goals and strategies to achieve them. Developing management plans represents an important step in providing responsible stewardship and a shared understanding of management for valued public land assets.
Two major changes to the Agency’s existing management planning process are proposed in the draft rule: the establishment of a “Statewide Plan” for all ANR-owned lands, and the creation of two new land classifications to enable the establishment of ecological reserves on ANR lands.
ANR staff will host two public meetings on this topic.
· September 16, 6:00-8:00 PM: Okemo Mountain Resort, Jackson Gore Inn, Cornerstone Room, 111 Jackson Gore Road, Ludlow, VT 05149
· September 19, 6:00-8:00 PM: Hazen Union High School, 126 Hazen Union Drive, Hardwick, VT 05843
Learn more about the draft management planning rule and how to provide public comment.
This public comment period precedes the formal rulemaking process, which the Agency expects to initiate in 2025.