H.434 is a bill introduced to amend the existing laws governing conservation lands funded by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. The bill mandates that all conservation lands purchased with grant funds must be encumbered with specific covenants. These covenants include provisions that allow for hunting, trapping, and fishing in accordance with state law, as well as the maintenance of recreational trail systems at or above their existing levels. Additionally, if any trail sections need to be removed for ecological reasons, they must be replaced with equivalent trail lengths, and existing recreational infrastructure must be preserved unless there is a compelling ecological reason to alter it. The bill also allows for timber harvesting as a management practice on these lands, provided there are no ecological imperatives against it.

The bill further stipulates that all grant recipients must acknowledge these covenants, ensuring that the conservation lands funded by taxpayer dollars are managed in a way that promotes both recreational use and ecological integrity. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 10-321