A. The division shall promote the importance of planting trees for soil, energy and water conservation, to enhance the state's beauty and generally to protect and improve the quality of the environment. The division shall attempt, through the promotion of tree planting campaigns and other efforts, including public education, to grant or sell trees to individuals and groups to provide for effective planting of trees throughout the state.

B. To promote tree planting, the division shall implement, in harmony, the New Mexico Forest Re-Leaf Act [68-2-29 to 68-2-33 NMSA 1978] and the conservation planting revolving fund provided for in Section 68-2-21 NMSA 1978. The division is authorized to adopt regulations necessary or appropriate to administer and achieve the purposes of the New Mexico Forest Re-Leaf Act and the conservation planting revolving fund.

C. Persons may apply to the division, on forms and in accordance with rules and procedures the division may adopt, for grants or purchases of trees to plant in the state. The division shall encourage applications from schools and universities, environmental education programs and civic and community groups. Each application shall indicate whether any applicable local soil and water conservation district has reviewed and approved the application.

D. Applications to receive and plant trees shall be granted or denied by the division in accordance with criteria the division shall establish. In granting applications, the division shall ensure that no less than twenty percent of the balance of the conservation planting revolving fund shall be granted free to groups or individuals in any fiscal year for the purpose of planting trees.

History: Laws 1990, ch. 96, § 4; 1993, ch. 76, § 2.

The 1993 amendment, effective July 1, 1993, substituted "no less than" for "no more than" in the second sentence of Subsection D; added "for the purpose of planting trees" at the end of Subsection D; and deleted former Subsection E, pertaining to a report required to be made by the division to the first session of the fortieth legislature.