By Mary Blitzer
Stewards advocate for policies related to water, forests, and wildlife.
Forests and Wildlife
The Forests and Wildlife Stewards have been actively monitoring and participating in the recently completed legislative session. This consisted of several activities including monitoring bills as they are introduced, participating in committee hearings to support or oppose bills, working with specific legislators, written opinion pieces, and collaborations with other conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy, and the Izaak Walton League.
Over the course of the legislative session, the team monitored 151 introduced bills. As the session neared conclusion, the most highly supported bills were combined in House (HF1076) and Senate (SF959) omnibus bills. The contents of these bills were very different, but ultimately a compromise bill was passed in the special session. The bill doesn't contain a lot of environmental wins, but fortunately, not many losses either. The bill provides over $5 million for tree planting and reforestation, $15 million for forest fire prevention and control, and funding for projects to control invasive species. It includes a directive to the Commissioner of Natural Resources to develop strategies and a plan to increase carbon sequestration in state and private forests, and issue a report by November, 2023. While there is no ban on wolf hunting in the bill, there is also no mandate for a wolf hunting season. Turtles can also breathe a sigh of relief, as the bill does include new limitations on the taking of selected turtle species.