According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resource's Vermont Conservation Design, "Historically, the vast majority of Vermont’s landscape was old forest, and it is the original habitat condition for many species. The state’s native flora and fauna that have been here prior to European settlement are adapted to this landscape of old, structurally complex forest punctuated by natural disturbance gaps and occasional natural openings such as wetlands or rock outcrops. The complex physical structure of old forests creates diverse habitats, many of which are absent or much less abundant in younger forests." Old forests are more resilient to climate extremes, better protect downstream communities from floods, improve water quality by removing sediment and phosphorus from runoff, and sequester and store vast amounts of planet-warming carbon. Scientists estimate that Vermont's forests could store two times more carbon by 2100 if allowed to grow old.

As defined in the Act, wildland “means a land management designation within the category of Ecological Reserves, of any size and current condition, permanently protected from conversion, and explicitly intended and managed to allow natural processes to prevail." This definition stems from a report that was published with the help of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources in 2023, entitled “Wildlands in New England.”

Yes. The best example is New York, where approximately 10% of the state’s land area, nearly 3 million acres, is protected as wildlands, primarily on state lands in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves. Today, these publicly-owned lands are among the healthiest and carbon-rich forest ecosystems in the eastern US, and attract visitors from around the world.

The Act has no impact on recreational trails, public access roads, campgrounds, cabins, ski areas, hunting, fishing, gathering, foraging, and other established uses. Home construction is not allowed on Vermont state lands, so this Act will have no impact on housing.

80% of Vermont is privately owned, and the vast majority of these lands are legally available for timber harvest. Only 2% of Vermont's annual wood harvest comes from state lands. Vermont does not have a wood shortage: on average, 50% more timber is harvested annually than is consumed in-state. Vermont is already committed by statute to managing 10% of the state's land area to recover old forests. The State Wildlands Act is a low-cost strategy to increase flood protection for Vermont communities, improve water quality, protect biodiversity, remove planet-warming carbon, and support our recreation economy, all while minimizing impacts to the flow of wood products.