“Habitat” (Subchapter 001 : GENERAL PROVISIONS



(10 V.S.A. § 6001) § 6001. Definitions) "means the physical and biological environment in which a particular species of plant or wildlife lives.”

Their definition of habitat and habitat connector means they could apply either to any acre in which ANY species of flora or fauna lives. And ANY spot in between them.

That’s precisely EVERYWHERE in the state.

Have others been noticing how carefully wordsmithed into the legalese of this (and other) legislation is the ability to strip away landowner rights?

"FOREST" is contorted in definition to be:
"(48) “Forest block” means a contiguous area of forest in any stage of succession and not currently developed for nonforest use. A forest block may include features including recreational trails, wetlands, or other natural features that do not themselves possess tree cover and improvements constructed for farming, logging, or forestry purposes."

Read that again. "In ANY stage of succession and not currently developed for nonforest use. “

That’s a lot of things that are NOT forests.

That's your old field which you want to put a shop or barn on, carve off part for your child, etc. etc. That's land which could have been in ag two years ago and was planned to be again. This is how they apply this "conservation" (land taking) to as many areas as possible - all lands not shown on aerial via automated software as being hayed or pastured or your yard at the moment that photo was taken.

https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/10/151/06001?_gl=1*1i2zm3l*_ga*MTc0MzUyMzQ3Mi4xNzc1MjI3MjE1*_ga_V9WQH77KLW*czE3NzUyNTg4MjckbzIkZzEkdDE3NzUyNTg4NDMkajQ0JGwwJGgw

They're not even pretending to take your land for endagenered species any more- that's so 1990's. This is simply "your land is between areas where species live; the law says you can no longer do innumerable things there without going through a cost-prohibitive, time-consuming process with dubious outcomes."

Taking your land via eminent domain at least involved them paying you something for it. This takes that process to a much more authoritarian level - a taking without any compensation, not by making anything illegal per se, just cost/time prohibitive. A perfectly bureaucratic strategy.