(a) Appointment. The Director of the Department of Environmental Protection must appoint a person to serve as County Arborist. The County Arborist functions within the Department of Environmental Protection.
(b) Qualifications. The County Arborist must have relevant experience and an advanced degree in horticulture, forestry, forest ecology, plant pathology, landscape architecture, or other related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The County Arborist should be licensed as a tree expert under State law.
(c) Duties. The County Arborist has the following functions related to resource management and protection of forest and trees in the County:
(1) develop a comprehensive County conservation and management strategy, including programs designed to promote afforestation and reforestation in the County, and the survival of historic trees and any endangered tree species;
(2) advise the County Executive and County Council on the effectiveness of County programs for controlling tree pests and diseases;
(3) review and approve proposed commercial logging and timber harvesting operations under Article II;
(4) review variance requests and reports under Article II;
(5) provide liaison with citizens and businesses on forest and tree conservation issues and develop appropriate mechanisms for public input on conservation strategies; and
(6) any other duties required by law or assigned by the County Executive. (1992 L.M.C., ch. 4, § 1; 2017 L.M.C., ch. 34, §1; 2021 L.M.C., ch. 1, § 1; 2021 L.M.C., ch. 26, § 1.)