LESSARD-SAMS OUTDOOR HERITAGE COUNCIL'S DEFINITION

Restore: Action to bring a habitat back to a former state of sustaining fish, game or wildlife, with an ultimate goal of restoring habitat to a desired conservation condition.

Protect: Action to maintain the ability of habitat and related natural systems to sustain fish, game or wildlife through acquisition of fee title or conservation easements.

Enhance: Action to increase the ability of habitat and related natural systems to sustain and improve fish, game or wildlife in an ecologically sound manner.

LEGISLATURE'S DEFINITION

Restore: Means renewing degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention to achieve high-quality ecosystems.

Protect: Means protect or preserve ecological systems to maintain active and healthy ecosystems and prevent future degradation including, but not limited to, purchase in fee or easement.

Enhance: Means to improve in value, quality, and desirability in order to increase the ecological value of the land or water.

THE CONCERN

Critics say the Legislature's definitions, which include terms like "high-quality ecosystems" and "healthy ecosystems" and "ecological value," are overly broad, could actually exclude fish and wildlife habitat work, are difficult to define and would be hard to measure. They say the language would open the door for other projects that could have less impact on fish and wildlife habitat and is biased against land acquisition as a way to protect habitat.