TITLE XIX-A
FORESTRY

CHAPTER 227-G
POLICY, DEFINITIONS, AND ADMINISTRATION

Section 227-G:2

    227-G:2 Definitions. –
In this title:
I. "Basal area" means the cross sectional area of a tree measured at a height of 41/2 feet above the ground, usually expressed in square feet per acre for a stand of trees.
II. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources.
III. "Department" means the department of natural and cultural resources.
IV. "Director" means the director of the division of forests and lands, department of natural and cultural resources, also known as the state forester.
V. "Division" means the division of forests and lands, department of natural and cultural resources.
VI. "Forest benefits" include, but are not limited to, forest products, a viable forest-based economy, recreation opportunities, scenic values, healthful surroundings, climate mitigation, clean water, and biologically diverse populations of plants and animals.
VII. "Forest fire district" means a geographical area of responsibility for a forest ranger of the department of natural and cultural resources, division of forests and lands.
VIII. "Forestland" means all lands in this state, except those owned and managed by the United States of America, which by reason of their location and character of soil have the capacity to grow trees and the continuance of which under forest cover is of substantial importance to the public interest.
IX. "Forest management" means the application of scientific and economic principles to conserve forest resources and obtain forest benefits.
X. "Forest resources" include, but are not limited to, soil, air, and water and the full range of plants, animals, and other organisms.
XI. "Forestry" means the science of silviculture and the practice and art of managing and using for human benefit forestlands and the natural resources that occur in association with forestlands, including trees, other plants, animals, soil, water, and related air and climate.
XII. "Fourth order streams" means those streams on a list maintained by the office of planning and development, as of the effective date of this section, using the Strahler method whereby the highest year-round streams in a watershed are first order streams, their juncture yields second order streams, the juncture of second order streams yields third order streams, and the juncture of third order streams yields fourth order.
XII-a. "Market value" means stumpage value as determined in the same manner as other property values for the purposes of taxation at the time the timber is cut.
XIII. "Primary forest product" means any portion of a tree, after felling, which will be processed into a secondary forest product, or will be utilized in its primary form.
XIV. "Primary wood processing mill" means any permanent or portable mill, or any off-site log yard operated by a primary wood processing mill, wherever located, sawing or otherwise processing logs, bolts, pulpwood, or other primary forest products into secondary forest products.
XV. "Quarantine" means a legal restriction duly imposed or enacted as a means for preventing or delaying the spread of a forest pest.
XVI. "Reservation" means public land under the jurisdiction of the department including, but not limited to: state forest, state park, natural area, historic site, geological site, recreation trail, memorial area, fire tower, wayside area, heritage park, resource center, agricultural area, state forest nursery, fish pier, administrative facility, information center, demonstration forest, certain islands, and lands under lease to the department.
XVII. "Special purpose" means the management of reservations and state-owned forestlands which have been excluded from forest management due to environmental, public safety, or other reasons unique to the reservation or state-owned forestland as determined by the agency responsible for the reservation or state-owned forestland.
XVIII. "Wood concentration yard" means any site established and used for the purchase and resale of primary forest products from off-site locations and which is not a primary wood processing mill. Any site used primarily to process or store bark mulch shall not be a wood concentration yard.
XIX. "Woodland" includes cut-over land, slash, and such other land as bears a sufficient amount of wood growth, wood, weeds, grass, or other growth as to be likely to be burned.

Source. 1995, 299:1. 2003, 319:9. 2004, 257:44. 2007, 88:1, eff. Aug. 10, 2007. 2017, 156:14, I, 64, eff. July 1, 2017; 164:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2018. 2021, 91:198, eff. July 1, 2021.