Major Issues

The Environment, Energy and Natural Resources

Enhancing Our Forests, Public Lands And Recreational Opportunities

Enhancing Vermont's Forest Resources Vermont Delegation Offers Bill To Name GMNF's White Rocks National Recreation Area In Honor Of The Late Senator Robert Stafford January 4, 2007 President Signs New England Wilderness Act, Adding Wilderness Designations In Vermont And N.H.  December 1, 2006 Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy On The Introduction Of The Vermont Wilderness Act Of 2006 April 6, 2006 Maps: Congressionally Designated Areas - South Half Congressionally Designated Areas - North Half Moosalamoo National Recreation Area Lye Brook Wilderness Addition Glastenbury Wilderness Breadloaf Wilderness Additions Big Branch & Peru Peak Wilderness Additions Battell Wilderness

Vermont is fortunate to have both a wide array of forest ecosystems and a strong conservation ethic to protect those ecosystems. As we go into the next century, more than 85 percent of Vermont will be covered with trees. Although Vermont has recuperated from a state where almost every acre of land had been forested, forest harvesting and development pressure requires continued vigilance from all Vermonters in protecting our forests.

Our goal in approaching the next century should be to figure out how to preserve the rivers, lakes and mountains, and, at the same time, protect and improve the livelihoods of loggers and others who live and work in Vermont's forests. To balance the interests of environmentalists, loggers and landowners, Vermont needs to create a framework of forest policy for the state that utilizes a myriad of conservation tools.  As a member of the Senate Agriculture and Appropriations Committees, I have been proud to help launch and fund several federal programs that help private landowners manage their land better and for the long-term benefit of Vermont and its forest economy.  The Forest Legacy program has helped ensure over 48,000 acres of forest land stay in productive management; the Forest Stewardship program has helped landowners develop stewardship plans for over 290,000 acres.  For more information on these programs, please contact the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Regional

Protecting Vermont’s Public Lands

While in the United States Senate, I have been committed to strengthening existing protection of the Green Mountain National Forest, the Missisquoi and Conte National Wildlife Refuges and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park.  Although these are federal lands they are in Vermonters’ backyards and represent a major part of Vermont’s landscape that we will pass on to future generations.  While in the United States Senate, I helped the Forest Service purchase over 100,000 acres within the boundary of the Green Mountain National Forest that represent key wildlife habitat, headwaters and productive timber land.  I have also worked to improve the infrastructure of all of our public lands by securing funds for new ranger stations in the Green Mountain National Forest and to build new headquarters and visitor contact stations for our two national wildlife refuges.  I have also worked with Senator Jeffords to restore the historic buildings at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park.

Expanding Vermont’s Recreational Opportunities