The forest of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom is a defining element of the state's identity, both because its beauty and its influence on the regional economy. These lands harbor some of the Northeast's most important habitat for fish, bear, moose, deer and sensitive species like the peregrine falcon. They also provide recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. In 1996, the heart of this area, land managed by the Hancock Timber Resource Group, was permanently protected through the establishment of a 31,000-acre conservation easement, to that time, the largest easement ever established on private forest land east of the Mississippi. The easement permanently restricts development, regulates forest practices and ensures public assess to the land. It was the culmination of a three-year process and a unique public/private partnership involving The Conservation Fund, the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program, the Vermont Land Trust, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.