Vermont has set the goal of conserving 30% of Vermont’s landscape by 2030 and 50% by 2050. VHCB is taking the lead.
Vermont’s Conservation Strategy Initiative
Stakeholders across Vermont celebrated the passage of the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act in June of 2023. This legislation puts Vermont on course to protect the ecological functions of our landscapes with the ambitious goals of conserving 30% of Vermont’s landscape by 2030 and 50% by 2050. Read a summary of the act here. The Vermont Legislature has directed the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to collect public input as they inventory the current state of conservation in Vermont and develop a long-term plan to reach these ambitious goals.
The Draft Conservation Inventory Report is Complete!
Have a look at the Phase 1 Inventory Report, The Annexes (Analyses, Notes, and Recommendations From the Community) and Working Group Reports (Deeper reviews of focal topics, including the management of state lands, aquatic systems, agricultural lands, and conservation categories).
How Do We Get There From Here?
Perspectives on the Journey to 30 x 30 in Vermont
Gus Seelig
A Brief Reflection and Look Ahead
Lauren Oates
Water Needs Conservation. Conservation Needs Water.
Nancy Patch
Act 59: Acting Locally in Globally Significant Ways
Stacy Cibula
Growing Conservation: A Story of Three Farms
Bob Zaino
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
Randy Kritkausky
An Indigenous Vision of a Pathway to 30 by 30: Our Cultural Advantage
Learn more:
- Read this 2-pager about the Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative
- Review a summary of the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act here.
- Still have questions? Review our FAQs here.
Working Groups
Working groups have been established to efficiently and effectively address specific themes or questions requested as part of the Conservation Inventory requested in the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act in June of 2023, which will then contribute to the larger Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative moving forward.
Working groups recently hosted roundtables to present their findings and get feedback from the public. See below for recordings, transcripts, working group draft reports, and more.
Conservation Categories
Aquatic Systems
State Lands
Agriculture
Slide-deck presented at each Roundtable event
Ag Working Group Meetings
Ag Working Group Members
Ag Working Group Agreements
Tuesday, 12/5/23*: Agenda | Notes | Slides
* this meeting was not recorded.
Wednesday, 1/10/24: Agenda | Notes | Slides | Recording
Wednesday, 1/24/24: Agenda | Notes | Slides | Baseline Survey Results | Recording
Wednesday, 2/7/24: Agenda | Notes | Slides | Recording*
* passcode to watch recording: +smc28x^
Wednesday, 2/21/24: Agenda | Notes | Materials | Slides | Recording
Wednesday, 3/6/24: Agenda | Notes | Materials | Slides | Recording
*passcode to watch recording 4d8@@JpL
Wednesday, 3/13/24: Agenda | Notes | Recording
*passcode to watch recording: bAB=&&03
Wednesday, 3/20/24: Agenda | Notes | Recording
*passcode to watch recording: BrZsY+=8
Friday, 3/29/24: Agenda | Notes | Recording
*passcode to watch recording: E2#i^ifP
Aquatic Systems Working Group
Sign up for the Act 59 newsletter to have updates sent directly to your email inbox.
