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| Public Act 103-0863 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning conservation. | ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly: | ||||
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Legacy | ||||
Tree Program Task Force Act. | ||||
Section 5. Findings; purpose. | ||||
(a) The General Assembly finds that: | ||||
(1) Trees are essential to ecological, cultural, and | ||||
economic life on Earth. | ||||
(2) Trees support species diversity, food webs, | ||||
habitats, and numerous ecological processes, such as water | ||||
and air purification. | ||||
(3) Trees assist in regulating climate and soil | ||||
fertility. | ||||
(4) The State must commit to preserving and | ||||
celebrating our legacy and heritage trees and must develop | ||||
pathways for the public to advocate for the preservation | ||||
of trees in communities. | ||||
(b) The General Assembly intends this Act to help create a | ||||
Statewide legacy tree program to promote the identification, | ||||
awareness, commemoration, and preservation of significant | ||||
trees within the State. | ||||
Section 10. Legacy Tree Program Task Force. | ||
(a) The Legacy Tree Program Task Force is created, shall | ||
meet on a quarterly basis for 4 years after the effective date | ||
of this Act, and shall, by no later than June 30, 2028, submit | ||
to the General Assembly, in accordance with Section 3.1 of the | ||
General Assembly Organization Act, a report that contains the | ||
final recommendations developed under subsection (b). | ||
(b) The Legacy Tree Program Task Force shall establish | ||
recommendations for the creation of a statewide legacy tree | ||
recognition program to promote the identification, awareness, | ||
commemoration, and preservation of significant trees in the | ||
State. | ||
(c) The Task Force shall consist of the following members: | ||
(1) one representative of an environmental | ||
organization, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(2) one representative of the Morton Arboretum, | ||
appointed by the Governor; | ||
(3) the director of the Illinois Environmental | ||
Protection Agency or a representative of their choosing; | ||
(4) one representative of the Illinois Forestry | ||
Development Council, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(5) one representative of the Shawnee National Forest, | ||
appointed by the Governor; | ||
(6) one representative of the Southern Illinois | ||
University Department of Forestry, appointed by the | ||
Governor; | ||
(7) one representative of the University of Illinois | ||
Extension forestry program, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(8) one representative of an association that | ||
represents Illinois arborists, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(9) two representatives of the Department of Natural | ||
Resources, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(10) one representative of an environmental | ||
organization that is different than the organization in | ||
paragraph (1), appointed by the Governor; | ||
(11) one representative of the Chicago Urban Forestry | ||
Board, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(12) one representative of a forest preserve district | ||
in a county that is adjacent to Cook County, appointed by | ||
the Governor; | ||
(13) one representative of a forest preserve district | ||
located south of Interstate 80, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(14) one representative of a statewide organization | ||
representing park districts, appointed by the Governor; | ||
(15) one member of the House of Representatives, | ||
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; | ||
(16) one member of the House of Representatives, | ||
appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | ||
Representatives; | ||
(17) one member of the Senate, appointed by the | ||
President of the Senate; and | ||
(18) one member of the Senate, appointed by the | ||
Minority Leader of the Senate. | ||
(d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without | ||
compensation. | ||
(e) The Department of Natural Resources shall provide | ||
staff and administrative support services to the Task Force | ||
and serve as the lead and chair agency of the Task Force. | ||
Section 15. Responsibilities. The Task Force shall | ||
establish recommendations for the following: | ||
(1) criteria for a definition of legacy tree and | ||
legacy tree standards that can be used on a variety of | ||
trees; | ||
(2) criteria for which the historical and cultural | ||
significance of a tree could be measured; | ||
(3) procedures for nominating trees on public and | ||
private property; | ||
(4) exploring partnership opportunities with units of | ||
local government for oversight of the legacy tree program | ||
and participation in the program; | ||
(5) creating a public awareness program, including | ||
digital media, a website, a legacy tree tool kit and | ||
educational materials to be made available by the | ||
Department of Natural Resources for use by units of local | ||
government; | ||
(6) exploring funding sources for the operation and | ||
maintenance of the statewide legacy tree program, | ||
including grant funding opportunities to facilitate | ||
participation in the program by units of local government; | ||
(7) procedures for withdrawing trees from the program; | ||
(8) procedures for legacy tree assessment; | ||
(9) procedures for how a tree would be designated or | ||
honored physically; | ||
(10) procedures for mapping trees on a searchable | ||
website; and | ||
(11) procedures for delisting a healthy designated | ||
legacy tree. | ||
Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on June 30, 2034. | ||