2850

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 543

a matching basis, to a county or municipal corporation that
implements an urban and community forestry program;
requiring the Department to provide certain technical
assistance; and generally relating to the establishment of
an urban and community forestry program.

BY adding

Article - Natural Resources

Section 5-424 through 5-427, inclusive, to be under the new

part "Part IV. Urban and Community Forestry"
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1983 Replacement Volume and 1983 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

PART IV. URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY

5-424.

"URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY" MEANS THE MANAGEMENT OF
FORESTS AND TREES IN URBAN AND COMMUNITY AREAS TO IMPROVE THEIR
HEALTH, VIGOR, AND COMPOSITION.

5-425.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES THAT FORESTS AND
TREES ARE AN IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY PART OF THE URBAN AND
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT AND THAT THE RETENTION, ENHANCEMENT, AND
MANAGEMENT OF THESE FORESTS AND TREES BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IS IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE.

5-426.

(A) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER AN
URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STATE OR FEDERAL
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ON A MATCHING BASIS, TO A COUNTY OR
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION THAT IMPLEMENTS A LOCAL URBAN AND COMMUNITY
FORESTRY PROGRAM WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION.

(2) THE COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION SHALL MAY
HIRE AN INDIVIDUAL TO DIRECT ITS PROGRAM WITH THE COOPERATION OF
THE DEPARTMENT.

(B)  THE DEPARTMENT'S URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM
SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COUNTIES, MUNICIPAL
CORPORATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS FOR THE RETENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF
FORESTS AND TREES. THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MAY INCLUDE:

(1) STREET TREE INVENTORIES;