(1) “Delaware Heritage program” means the program within the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Fish and Wildlife, that is responsible for inventory, research, data collection, information management and consultation about Delaware's unique or rare plant and animal species and natural communities and for the maintenance of computerized and manual records of the status and trends of such species and natural communities and habitat location information.

(2) “Department” means the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

(3) “Historic resources” means those structures, improvements, sites or lands that are listed as significant in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, either as individual listings or as contribution elements in listed or eligible historic districts.

(4) “Interest in real property” means any perpetual right in real property, or improvements thereto, or water, including but not limited to a fee simple, easement, partial interest, mineral right, remainder, future interest, or other interest or right concerning the use of property.

(5) “Land” or “lands” means real property, with or without improvements thereon; right-of-way, water and riparian rights; easements; privileges and all other rights or interests of any kind or description in, relating to or connected with real property.

(6) “Natural habitat” means those land areas in Delaware that are or may be documented as areas of ecological importance and significance for the protection of unique or rare plants, animals and natural communities. Such areas are or may be comprised of lands that due to their physical or biological features, provide important elements for the protection, maintenance and survival of plants, animals and/or natural communities such as, for example, food, shelter, or living space, and may include, without limitation, breeding, feeding, resting, migratory and overwintering areas. Physical and biological features include, but are not limited to:

(7) “Open space” means any open lands characterized by (i) natural and/or scenic beauty, or (ii) whose existing openness, natural condition or present state of use, if retained, would maintain important outdoor recreational areas and wildlife habitat, or would maintain or enhance the conservation of Delaware's natural, historic, or scenic resources.

(8) “Public or private conservation agency” means any Delaware governmental body or any private not-for-profit charitable corporation or trust authorized to do business in the State and organized and operated for natural resources, land conservation or historic preservation purposes, and having tax-exempt status as a public charity under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and having the power to acquire, hold and maintain land and/or interests in land for such purposes.