Two things: We are seeking nominations for the 2024 Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership and a public input opportunity this Thursday to conserve and protect 30% of Vermont’s lands and waters by 2030.
Stay informed, stay connected – two things.
Seeking Nominations for the 2024 Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership
Do you know a Vermont resident who has made a lasting contribution to their community, region, or state by helping to build healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities? VRNC is seeking nominations for the 2024 Art Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership! The award will be given to an individual whose leadership, vision, and courage has brought about positive and lasting change toward more equitable, sustainable, and healthy communities. The deadline for submissions is July 19th. For more information, please contact Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director, at kgallagher@vnrc.org.
Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative (30 x 30) Public Meeting
The Vermont Conservation Strategies Initiative grew out of the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act, which became law in June of 2023, known informally as “30 x 30”. This legislation put Vermont on course to conserve 30% of Vermont’s land and water by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
At 4:00pm, this Thursday, June 27, 2024, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) will hold a public meeting for stakeholder input on the draft Conservation Inventory, the first step in the act’s implementation. The law requires VHCB, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, to develop an inventory of conserved lands that takes stock of existing conservation data and practices, public and professional perspectives, and opportunities and avenues for future conservation.
The upcoming meeting represents the final opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on the inventory, which is required to be submitted for review to the House Committees on Environment and Energy and on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy by July 1st. You can find out more about the 30 x 30 implementation process by visiting the VCSI website at https://vhcb.org/our-programs/vcsi.
P.S. In case you missed it, check out the Valley News’s recent editorial: “Gov. Scott gets it wrong with Act 250 reform veto.”