AB 1162

This bill makes a change to eligibility for a county forest administration grant.

Current law authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to make grants

to counties that have lands designated as county forest to fund 50 percent of a

professional forester for county forest administrator or assistant county forest

administrator (county forest administration grant program). Current DNR

administrative rules regulating the county forest administration grant program

define “forester” as a person, other than one employed by DNR, who has received a

bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a curriculum

accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree, as

determined by the chief state forester, or who is employed as a county forest

administrator or assistant county forest administrator in the administration of

county forests as of August 12, 1993. This bill replaces the administrative code term

“forester” with “county forest administrator” and defines it to mean a person

employed to manage a county forest program (excluding a DNR employee) who has

any of the following qualifications:

1. A bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a

curriculum accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree,

as determined by the chief state forester.

2. A bachelor's or higher degree in natural resources, conservation, or wildlife

and three or more years of experience managing a county forest program.

3. An associate degree in forestry and three or more years of experience

managing a county forest program.