(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    “Fellow” means an individual selected to participate in the Fellowship Program.

(3)    “Fellowship Program” means the Mel Noland Fellowship Program.

(4)    “Managing organization” means an organization selected by the Department to coordinate the administration of the Fellowship Program with the Department.

(b)    There is a Mel Noland Fellowship Program in the Department.

(c)    The purpose of the Fellowship Program is to support students seeking a career in fields relating to natural resources as they matriculate and graduate from an institution of higher education.

(d)    The Department shall develop criteria for the selection of:

(1)    Fellows; and

(2)    Managing organizations.

(e)    The Department shall select a managing organization with which the Department shall coordinate to administer the Fellowship Program under this section.

(f)    (1)    Subject to the provisions of this subsection, each year, the Department and the managing organization shall select two fellows and support them in their matriculation in a natural resources field at an institution of higher education.

(2)    One fellow shall be seeking a degree to work in the field of natural resources management.

(3)    One fellow shall be seeking a degree to work in the field of urban and community forestry.

(g)    The Department or the managing organization may require a fellow to complete tasks related to the Fellowship Program in addition to the fellow’s course of study.

(h)    (1)    A fellow shall receive an annual stipend of $20,000 paid from the Mel Noland Woodland Incentives and Fellowship Fund.

(2)    Any funds remaining after the stipends under paragraph (1) of this subsection are distributed from the Governor’s appropriation required under § 5–307 of this subtitle shall be used for the administration of the Fellowship Program, including the recruitment, selection, and supervision of the fellows by the Department and the managing organization.