(a) The Commissioner, with the approval of the Governor, may designate and set aside areas in the State forests and State parks as natural areas.

(b) "Natural areas" means limited areas of land that have retained their wilderness character, although not necessarily completely natural and undisturbed, or have rare or vanishing species of plant or animal life or similar features of interest that are worthy of preservation for the use of present and future residents of the State and may include unique ecological, geological, scenic, and contemplative recreational areas on State lands.

(c) Land uses and practices in natural areas shall be subject to regulations of the Department to carry out the purposes of this chapter to manage or maintain the areas for the preservation of their natural condition. Areas so designated may be removed from such designation only by approval of the Governor following public notice and hearing. (Added 1977, No. 253 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)