‘ 1.  The Urban and Community Forestry Program is hereby created within the Division. The State Forester Firewarden shall administer the Program.

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2.  The Urban and Community Forestry Program must, without limitation, promote, create, improve and maintain urban and community forests in this State and advance and promote improvements that include, without limitation:

(a) Carbon sequestration and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions;

(b) Energy conservation;

(c) Air and water quality;

(d) Urban and community parks;

(e) Riparian corridors;

(f) River parkways;

(g) School greening or sun-safe schoolyards;

(h) Urban and community revitalization;

(i) Green infrastructure and sustainable landscapes;

(j) Food forests that provide access to healthy and nutritious foods in urban areas and communities that have been designated as food deserts; and

(k) Solid waste prevention.

3.  In carrying out the requirements of subsection 2, the State Forester Firewarden shall:

(a) Develop local and regional targets for urban and community tree canopies and prioritize the development of such targets in historically underserved communities and areas that are particularly vulnerable to heat island effects. The targets must include, without limitation, local or regional targets for:

(1) Urban and community forest diversity;

(2) The resistance of urban and community forests to future climate conditions;

(3) The resistance of urban and community forests to insects, pests and diseases; and

(4) Any other target determined to be relevant by the State Forester Firewarden.

(b) Cooperate with state and regional urban and community forestry organizations or associations, arboricultural organizations or associations and any other relevant federal, state or local agency, district, board or other entity or public or private organization or persons in the advancement and promotion of urban and community forests.

(c) Develop and disseminate best practices for maintaining the health of urban and community forests, which may include, without limitation, the control of forest pests, insects and diseases.