Notwithstanding any provisions of Article VII of the Public Lands Law to the contrary, the department, with the approval of the state geologist, may, in any lands acquired by the state in accordance with section 9-0501, enter into leases for the purpose of aiding in discovering and removing any oil or gas upon such lands or storage of gas or oil thereon, under such terms as may be prescribed by the department, and upon such conditions that the exercise of such leasehold rights shall not interfere with the operation of such reforestation areas for the purposes for which they were acquired and as defined in Section 3 of article XIV of the Constitution. Any lease made and entered into pursuant to this section shall be recorded in the Office of General Services.