The General Assembly finds and declares that urban and community forests are a necessary and important part of community and urban environments and are critical to the environmental, social and economic welfare of the State. The General Assembly also recognizes that the ability of all county and municipal governments to care for and manage their tree resources could be enhanced through technical and financial assistance from a state urban and community forestry program and that properly planned and implemented local community forestry programs can provide the necessary basis for local governments to develop local tree care programs and improve quality of life. The General Assembly further declares that this chapter addresses only the tree resources on publicly owned lands, and shall in no way interfere with the ability of a landowner to manage and/or harvest his or her forested lands.