A slew of environmental groups re-energized their push Friday for a constitutional amendment requiring an annual stream of money to protect Georgia’s wilderness.
The groups, including the Georgia Conservancy, seek legislative approval to raise an estimated $30 million each year to buy private land, maintain state parks and wildlife management areas and help local governments buy parkland and build trails.
Their banking on HB 693, introduced during the 2015 legislative session by House Majority Leader Jon Burns, R-Newington, that would establish the Georgia Legacy Trust Fund. Three-fourths of the revenue generated by the sale of outdoor recreational equipment would be dedicated to land preservation.
Burns has also introduced a resolution (HR 907) amending the state constitution to allow the shift in tax allocations. The conservation fund could be on next November’s ballot.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources currently spends about $10 million annually on land acquisition. Twenty states, including Arkansas which serves as something of a model for a Georgia fund, already dedicate millions annually for conservation.
“The state budget can sometimes be unpredictable,” said Leah Dixon, advocacy director for Georgia Conservancy. “This is a way of creating a more reliable funding source for long-term planning.”
The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Conservation Fund and Park Pride are backing Georgia Legacy.
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