Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §1848, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

2. Grant of permits. The bureau may grant permits and enter into contracts to cut timber, harvest grass and wild foods, tap maple trees for sap and cultivate and harvest crops provided that such permits and contract rights create revocable licenses to the permittee or party to the contract and do not create any real property interest in the public reserved lands. In any permit or contract to cut timber, the bureau must specify that the harvesting be done using selection cutting based on the principles of uneven-aged stand management.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §1852, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

1. Transfer of management responsibility to other state agencies. Whenever a particular portion of the public reserved lands is to be used, under the management plan under section 1847, subsection 2, for a dominant use that is within the particular expertise of another agency of the State, the commissioner, with the consent of the Governor and the state agency involved, may transfer to that other state agency the responsibility for the management of that particular portion of the public reserved lands. When the dominant use for a particular portion of the public reserved lands is timber production, the commissioner shall transfer responsibility for the management of that particular portion to the Bureau of Forestry.__The Bureau of Forestry shall manage portions of the public reserved lands for which it is responsible using uneven- aged stand management.

SUMMARY

This bill specifies that uneven-aged forest stand management be used on the public reserved lands. When the dominant use on a portion of public reserved lands is timber production, the Commissioner of Conservation shall transfer management responsibility for that portion to the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Forestry.