AN ACT CONCERNING OLD-GROWTH FORESTS IN THE STATE.

HB 6261 requires the Natural Heritage, Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Review Board to define and inventory mature and old-growth forests in Connecticut by February 2026, with annual progress reports starting in 2027. The bill designates these forests as priority areas for acquisition into the state's natural area preserves system and mandates the board to analyze threats to them. It directly affects the Review Board (which must create the definition and inventory) and sets the framework for future conservation policies. The legislation focuses on establishing concrete processes for protection planning, not immediate land purchases or policy changes.