Bill > H1048

This bill aims to increase protection of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) by requiring the state's environmental agency to designate at least 30% of WMA lands as Reserves by 2030, with specific criteria for Reserve selection. The bill establishes a Reserves Scientific Advisory Council composed of eight experts from various environmental and research organizations to oversee Reserve designation and management. The Council will help ensure that Reserves are maintained in a natural state with minimal human intervention, focusing on preserving ecological integrity, protecting mature and old-growth forests, maintaining habitat connectivity, supporting carbon sequestration, and providing opportunities for scientific research. The bill strictly limits industrial infrastructure development in Reserves, prohibits timber removal and resource extraction except in exceptional circumstances, and restricts the creation of new wildlife openings or fields. Additionally, the bill defines key terms like "Reserve" and "early-successional habitat" and places limitations on clearing lands for early-successional habitat, requiring that such efforts only occur if equivalent areas do not already exist in the state. The overall goal is to protect and preserve critical ecological areas while maintaining their natural processes and biodiversity.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1048