Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1579

wildland areas, for the adoption of wildland areas by the General
Assembly, for the authority to purchase land or scenic easements
for inclusion in the system, to provide for the use of areas with-
in the system, and generally relating to a Wildlands Preservation
System.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 345B of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1970 Replacement Volume), title "Natural Resources," sub-
title "Forests and Parks," subheading "In General," be and it is
hereby repealed and that new Section 345B be and it is hereby
enacted in lieu thereof to stand in the place of the section so
repealed and to read as follows:

345B.

[(a) Acquisition, etc.—The Department may accept gifts of land
or wetlands to the State, or may purchase land or wetlands in the
name of the State to be held, restored and administered as natural
areas, and may also designate and set aside areas in the State
forests and State parks as natural areas.

(b)    Definition.—"Natural areas" means limited areas of land
or water which have retained their wilderness character, although
not necessarily completely natural and undisturbed, or have rare
or vanishing species of plant or animal life or similar features of
interest which are worthy of preservation for the use of present
and future residents of the State, and may include unique ecological,
geological, scenic and contemplative recreational areas on State
lands.

(c)    Classification.—Natural areas held by the State shall in-
clude and be designated as one or more of the following three types
and the location of each shall be described in the designation:

Type 1. Primitive areas which by their size or location are in
effect untouched by urban civilization, and can therefore offer the
experience of solitude and self-reliance. Whereas, lands at the higher
elevations are important for protection of watersheds, are ecologi-
cally vulnerable if unwisely altered by human interference, and
often may be uneconomic for logging on construction, it is hereby
found that such lands generally may be suitable for this classifica-
tion.

Type 2. Units of importance for all the natural sciences, es-
pecially ecology, and with outstanding value for education and re-
search and for the appreciation of natural processes. Preservation
in the desired natural condition shall be the prevailing purpose of
such holdings. Visitation shall be regulated so as to ensure this
preservation on a permanent basis.

Type 3. Areas which are not of ecological or primitive stature,
but which have the appearance of being in an untouched natural
state, or which are capable of attaining that appearance if held
and managed for this purpose.

(d)    Regulation of land uses and practices.—On natural areas
of type 1, 2 or 3 all land uses and practices shall be subject to
regulations of the Department to carry out the purposes of this sec-