Governor Manchin signs bill creating Voluntary Rural & Outdoor Heritage Conservation Act

CHARLESTON, WV — April 3, 2008 — A new state initiative, made official today with the ceremonial signing by Governor Manchin, commits the State of West Virginia to a stronger investment in the future conservation of important wildlife habitat, natural areas, forests, and farmland.

 “An investment in land conservation is important to growing key economic sectors like tourism and to attracting businesses interested in a high quality of life for their employees,” says Governor Manchin, “This legislation is one more step in making West Virginia a destination state.”

 “This is a historic piece of legislation,” says Rodney Bartgis, state director of The Nature Conservancy, “We applaud the Legislature and Governor Manchin for their support in conserving West Virginia’s rural and natural heritage.”

Gov. Manchin’s signature confirms the West Virginia Legislature’s March 8th approval of the Voluntary Rural & Outdoor Heritage Conservation Act.  The legislation makes a state investment in the conservation of important wildlife habitat, natural areas, forestland, and farmland and establishes a statewide land conservation fund, the Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund. 

The Voluntary Rural & Outdoor Heritage Conservation Act makes an investment by dedicating revenue from a $4 flat fee on the recording of deeds and $5 flat fee on the recording of other documents to land conservation.  Half of the revenue from these fees will be directed to the new state-level Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund created by the legislation and half will be directed to the state-level Farmland Protection Fund. 

“The revenue directed to these two land conservation funds is a first step to enable conservation of lands important to West Virginians’ economic well-being and quality of life,” said Senator McCabe, lead sponsor of the legislation, “This initial state investment will begin to leverage private, federal, and in some cases – local – dollars to enable conservation of West Virginia’s outstanding natural assets.”

A broad spectrum of interests supported the legislation:  land trusts, farmland protection boards, hunting & fishing organizations, wildlife groups, landowners, and business leaders.  “The coalition supporting this legislation recognized the economic and quality of life returns that West Virginians will see from investing in the conservation of outstanding natural areas, wildlife habitat, forestland, and farmland – and the value of conserving our natural heritage for our children and grandchildren,” says Rod Graves, retired farmer and active member of two farmland protection boards, “We also recognized the importance of partnering to support both a state investment in land conservation and the development of the Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund.”

“The fact that the bill passed during the first session in which it was introduced speaks to the power of the coalition of interests working together – for the first time – to meet a shared objective,” says Bartgis, “The bill’s passage also speaks to the enormous public support to conserve West Virginia’s natural assets and growing recognition that these assets are the state’s competitive advantage.”  

Public support of land conservation is reflected in recent survey results.  More than 8 in 10 voters agree that protecting land and water is vital for a strong economy in the State (2007 survey of West Virginia voters conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates).  Seventy-nine percent (79%) of voters indicated that they favor using public funds to preserve forests, mountains and natural areas (2000 survey of West Virginia voters conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and 2005 survey of West Virginia adults conducted by Responsive Management).