In a significant conservation development, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, with support from the Trust for Public Land, plans to acquire timber rights over 949 acres of the Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and an additional 256 acres in Addison and Weybridge. The transactions, expected to be completed by early 2027, aim to reunite the state's land ownership with the timber rights, allowing for a more coordinated approach to managing the landscape. This expansion will not only boost habitat connectivity but also create new opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, and wildlife watching. The project is funded by local, state, federal, and private sources, including a $1.35 million grant from the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Recovery Land Acquisition Grant programme. The expansion and reunification of the property could also play a crucial role in climate resilience, providing additional lowland forest habitat and safeguarding wetlands and headwater streams. The project is significant as it brings together long-standing conservation and forestry interests under unified management.