Access to land acquired with stewardship funding and access to managed forest land. (FE)

This bill prohibits the expenditure of stewardship funding to acquire land that is required to be open to the public unless the land is accessible to the public on foot.

Under current law, under the managed forest land (MFL) program, the owner of land that meets certain requirements concerning size and the amount of timber on the land may apply to have DNR designate the land as MFL. The owner of such land is entitled to make an annual payment that is lower than, and in lieu of, the property taxes that normally would be payable on the land. In exchange, the owner must comply with certain forestry practices and may keep a specific area closed to public access; the remainder of the land must be kept open for recreational activities consisting of hunting, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, and cross-country skiing. For land that the owner keeps closed, the owner must pay a supplemental amount that is in addition to the annual payment described above.

This bill establishes an additional requirement for MFL eligibility. Under the bill, in order for land to be designated as MFL, it must be accessible to the public on foot, unless it has been designated as closed to public access.