1 Vermont Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) 2014-2018 2 Acknowledgments The production of this plan was made possible through the cooperation and assistance of many individuals, organizations, and agencies. The State of Vermont thanks and appreciates the efforts of all who participated in this project. The plan is a better document as a result, and we are grateful for all input received. Acknowledgement of individual efforts is not possible due to the large number of participants and organizations. Hopefully, these planning efforts will result in improvements to outdoor recreation in Vermont. Prepared by: Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Peter Shumlin, Governor of the State of Vermont Deborah Markowitz, Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources Michael C. Snyder, Commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation; and State Liaison Officer to the National Park Service Ed O'Leary, Director of Operations, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and Assistant State Liaison Officer Significant assistance was provided by the University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources and UVM Extension, particularly by Walter Kuentzel, Linda Chase and Monika Derrien, and the Vermont Association of Planning Districts with special thanks to Antoine Chesaux, summer intern. The development and printing of this report were financed in part through a planning grant from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, under provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (Public Law 88-578 as amended). The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity agency and offers all persons the benefit of participating in each of its programs and competing in all areas of employment, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual preference, or other non-merit factors. This document is available upon request in large print, Braille, and audio cassette. 3 Letter from Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin 4 Letter from FPR Commissioner 5 Table of Contents Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... 2 Letter from Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin ............................................................................... 3 Letter from FPR Commissioner ...................................................................................................... 4 SCORP Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 6 Acronyms used in this document .................................................................................................. 10 Federal and State Lands that offer outdoor recreation in Vermont .............................................. 12 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................. 13 I. Purposes and benefits of the plan ....................................................................................... 19 II. Structure of plan and how to use it ................................................................................. 20 III. Data collection and public involvement used to inform the plan ................................... 21 IV. About the Land and Water Conservation Fund .............................................................. 24 Chapter 2: Municipal, State, Federal, and NGO Recreation Facilities and Resources ................. 28 I. Municipal outdoor recreation facilities/resources .............................................................. 28 II. State outdoor recreation facilities/resources .................................................................. 40 III. Federal outdoor recreation resources/facilities .............................................................. 51 IV. Outdoor recreation NGO resources/facilities ................................................................. 54 Chapter 3: Demand for Outdoor Recreation in Vermont.............................................................. 71 Chapter 4: Issues and priorities in outdoor recreation in Vermont ............................................... 93 I. Vermonters’ satisfaction with outdoor recreation facilities and resources ........................ 93 II. Priorities identified by municipalities ............................................................................ 95 III. Comparing user satisfaction with municipal rankings of priority .................................. 96 IV. Outdoor recreation issues and priorities (ANR, user groups, recreation organizations) 101 Chapter 5: The Action Plan ......................................................................................................... 118 Appendix A: Vermont Wetlands Conservation Strategy: 2012 Update ..................................... 149 Appendix B: Full survey results from the 2011 Outdoor Recreation Demand Survey .............. 153 Appendix C: Trails-Related Resources: Achievements, Issues & Priorities .............................. 206 Appendix D: Publications used in developing this plan ............................................................. 221 Index ........................................................................................................................................... 226 6 SCORP Executive Summary Introduction Outdoor recreation is important to the lives and livelihoods of all Vermonters in one way or another. Nearly all of the Vermonters who responded to the 2011 Outdoor Recreation Demand Survey participated in some type of outdoor recreation activity, from picnicking to hiking to snowmobiling. While Vermonters’ favorite activities are hiking, walking, hunting, fishing, and swimming, residents participate in a wide range of activities. There are 28 different outdoor recreation activities with participation rates greater than 10 percent. In addition to the positive public health outcomes of physically active lifestyles and the quality of life Vermonters associate with natural landscapes, outdoor recreation plays an important role in generating economic activity within the state, drawing in federal funds and attracting tourists from all over the world. The Outdoor Industry Foundation reported that in 2006 the outdoor recreation economy supported 35,000 jobs in Vermont, generated $187 million in annual state tax revenue, produced $2.5 billion annually in retail sales and services across Vermont, and accounted for 12 percent of the gross state product. Planning and investment is required to maintain current outdoor recreation facilities and resources and make new ones possible. To assist with outdoor recreation, land acquisition, development, and planning at the state level, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) statewide program offers grants to assist states that can, in turn, pass through grants to municipalities. To qualify for LWCF funds, states must revise the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every five years. Maintaining a current SCORP ensures Vermont's eligibility to receive funding for municipal and state recreation and conservation projects from the LWCF. Since 1965, $31,669,336 of LWCF funding has been granted to Vermont. The purpose of the SCORP is to assess the supply, demand, quality, priorities and issues surrounding outdoor recreation in the state, and set forth a plan of action for achieving a desired vision for outdoor recreation. In 2011, three surveys were conducted to determine the supply of outdoor recreation facilities and resources throughout the state and demand for participation in the outdoor recreation activities that depend on those facilities and resources. This was accompanied by the collection of secondary data, as well as direct input from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources staff, recreation providers, and user groups. Based on this research and public input, the Action Plan was put together to articulate a vision for outdoor recreation in Vermont, and put forth a plan for achieving it. This Executive Summary shares the key findings and recommendations of the plan. For the complete findings, refer to the full document. Key Findings Outdoor Recreation Supply 7 Vermont has close to 850,000 acres of public lands open to recreation, and thousands of miles of trails on public and private lands that serve hikers, mountain bikers, snowmobilers, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riders, and other trail users. Federal, state, municipal, and non-governmental organization (NGO) recreation providers manage parks, forests, wildlife areas, playing fields, boat launches, and dozens of other types of outdoor recreation facilities and resources. An inventory of these facilities and resources can be found in Chapter 2. Some of the biggest changes in the outdoor resources and facilities available to Vermonters in recent years include: Acquisition of 2,964 acres of land by the state in fee and acquisition of easement interest in 9,823 acres of land, from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012, is now available for public recreation. An increase in mountain bike trails, particularly trails managed by the Vermont Mountain Bike Association and Green Mountain National Forest. Investment of over $10 million for capital improvements in state parks to replace and update aging infrastructure and to add new facilities such as camping cabins, which have become very popular for state park visitors.