AB 665

Current law authorizes the state to incur public debt for certain conservation

activities under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program

(stewardship program), which is administered by the Department of Natural

Resources (DNR). The state may incur this debt to provide funding to acquire land

for the state for conservation purposes and may also use the funding to award grants

or state aid to certain local governmental units and nonprofit conservation

organizations to acquire lands for conservation purposes (stewardship funding).

Current law requires that land acquired with stewardship funding be open to the

public for nature-based outdoor activities, with certain exceptions.

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.