November 15, 2019
Montpelier – The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) and the Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont are pleased to announce that a draft Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) is available for public comment through December 12, 2019. Vermont’s recreation and planning professionals use the SCORP to identify strategies to deliver outdoor recreation facilities and programs that make it easy for people to enjoy the outdoors.
How can you get involved?
- Read the draft SCORP at https://fpr.vermont.gov/SCORP
- Provide public comment via the form on the webpage (http://bit.ly/SCORPInput) or email ANR.FPRPublicInput@vermont.gov and put “SCORP” in the subject line.
- Call 802-598-4551 or email amy.kelsey@uvm.edu to have a paper copy of the draft plan mailed to you.
To assist with outdoor recreation, land acquisition, development, and planning at the state level, the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program offers grants to states that can, in turn, award grants to municipalities. To qualify for LWCF funds, states must revise their 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, over $31 million in LWCF funding has been granted to Vermont.
In addition to making Vermont eligible for federal funding, the Vermont SCORP provides an opportunity to assess recreation supply and demand. It also helps to guide strategy for local governments, state government and other outdoor recreation providers. The goals and actions identified in the plan help to determine where best to make investments in recreation. The 2019 draft SCORP reflects input from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC), as well as input from focus groups, one-on-one interviews with state lands staff in FPR, advice from a technical advisory committee, and thousands of public survey responses.
“This is the first SCORP completed since Governor Scott created VOREC in 2017,” FPR Commissioner Michael Snyder said. “It is particularly important because it reflects not only extensive public outreach and input, but also a reinvigorating moment for outdoor recreation within FPR and throughout Vermont.”