Managing Natural Area Preserves

Item 436 #3s

Language
Page 262, line 4, strike "$34,346,268" and insert "$34,776,268".
Page 262, line 4, strike "$14,308,988" and insert "$14,738,988".
Page 262, after line 36, insert:  "D.  The Department shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by November 4 of each year on actions taken to manage the State's Natural Area Preserve System.  In addition to program costs and other management information, the Department shall include data on new lands and sites brought into the system, efforts to educate Virginians about the importance of the system, research findings, and future plans.".

Explanation
(This amendment provides $860,000 from the general fund in 1998-2000 for positions and operating support to manage the 21 sites (12,700 acres) comprising the State Natural Area Preserve System. In addition to filling 6 full-time positions, the funds would be used to hire contractors and purchase equipment for prescribed burning, invasive species control, endangered species monitoring and recovery, site management, and research.)