In performing its duties pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma State Register of Natural Heritage Areas Act, the Oklahoma Biological Survey shall:

1. Identify potential natural areas for inclusion in the State Register. Any person or organization may recommend the inclusion of any area within this state to the Survey;

2. Notify the landowners of a potential natural area of the recommendation of the area, explain the scope and intent of the State Register, and request permission to evaluate the site of the area;

3. Evaluate the site of the potential natural area, upon receiving permission from the landowners, to determine whether the area satisfies the criteria listed in Section 4 of this act;

4. Invite the landowners of a natural area site which satisfies the criteria to register the site in the State Register. To register a site, a nonbinding agreement stating the intent of the landowners to protect the characteristics of the natural area site is signed by the landowners and the Director of the Oklahoma Biological Survey. Upon the signing of the agreement, the Director shall present a plaque and a certificate of registration to the landowners acknowledging their generosity and civic-mindedness;

5. Protect the rights of the landowners by publicly listing a registered natural area only with the consent of the landowners and by removing a natural area from the State Register at the request of the landowners;

6. Assist the landowners of registered natural areas by providing information concerning such areas and by providing or arranging for technical assistance and resource planning which may be requested;

7. Review periodically each registered natural area and remove from the State Register any area which has had its natural character or quality degraded through significant natural or man-made changes; and

8. Publish an annual report on the state and condition of the registered natural areas which shall be available to the public.

Added by Laws 1984, c. 48, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 1984. Amended by Laws 1993, c. 155, § 1, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 2002, c. 199, § 3, emerg. eff. May 6, 2002. Renumbered from Title 74, § 1844 by Laws 2002, c. 199, § 5, emerg. eff. May 6, 2002.