J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1567

tions and duties of the Commission of Forests and Parks, the
Director of the Department of Forests and Parks, the State For-
ester thereof, and other supervisory personnel of said Department.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 344 of Article 44 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition) title "Natural Resources," subtitle "Forests and
Parks" be and it hereby is repealed and re-enacted, with amend-
ments, to read as follows:

344.

Natural Resources.

The members of said Commission shall serve for terms of five
years from June 1, 1941, but of the first members appointed, one
shall serve for one year, one for two years, one for four years and
one for five years. The Governor shall have the power to remove for
cause and any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired portion of
the term. The members of the Commission shall receive no compensa-
tion for their services, but shall be reimbursed for necessary travel-
ing expenses and disbursement in attending meetings or performing
other official duties. The present State Forester shall become the
Director of the Department and his successor shall be appointed by
the Commission, in accordance with the merit system law. The
Director shall be a person with executive ability and special train-
ing and experience in forestry, and a graduate of an accredited school
of forestry. The Director shall [be the] perform such administrative
[head] functions and duties of the Department [, shall appoint such
assistants and employees as may be provided for in the budget, sub-
ject to the approval of the Commission and under the provision of
the merit system law, and] as the Commission shall, from time to
time, direct and the Commission shall have the power and authority
in its discretion to apportion the administrative functions and duties
of the Department among the various supervisory personnel of the
Department. The State Forester shall have charge of all forest and
park wardens in the State, aid and direct them in their work; take
such action as is authorized by law to prevent and extinguish forest
fires, enforce all laws, rules and regulations pertaining to public
forests, scenic preserves, historic monuments, parkways, parks
and recreation areas, and prosecute for any violations of such laws,
rules and regulations; direct the promotion of recreation in coopera-
tion with public and private agencies and the planning, administra-
tion and improvement of State parks, scenic preserves, historic
monuments, parkways, State recreation areas, forest reserves; collect
data relative to forest management; the administration of the forest
conservation practices on privately owned forest land and cooperate
with landowners as described in Sections 346 and 389 to 400 inclusive
of this subtitle. All present personnel of the State Department of
Forestry shall be transferred to the new Department.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1963.

Approved April 30, 1963.