(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may, in cooperation with federal agencies, or by his own initiative, raise or purchase, with moneys appropriated from the General Fund, planting seed or seedling stock for reforestation, farm windbreaks, wildlife management plantings or soil conservation or other conservation purposes within the state and may sell such seedlings to landowners in this state, state agencies, municipalities or conservation organizations at prices which will cover the approximate cost of the seedlings to the state.

(b) The commissioner may provide tree seedlings at no cost to any elementary or secondary school or conservation commission for the celebration of Arbor Day in accordance with any proclamation issued pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of § 10-29a.

(c) The commissioner may, when the space available in Connecticut state nurseries for the raising of seedling stock is in excess of that needed for raising such stock for use by Connecticut landowners, state agencies, municipalities or conservation organizations, enter into an agreement with any other state or the United States Forest Service to raise seedling stock in Connecticut state nurseries for use by such states or service for reforestation, farm windbreaks, wildlife management plantings or soil conservation or other conservation purposes. When the needs of landowners in this state have been met, the commissioner may: (1) Sell seedling stock to landowners, state agencies, municipalities or conservation organizations outside this state, provided the state forester or the equivalent official of the state where the seedlings are to be planted has granted permission to do so; or (2) dispose of any excess of planting seed by sale to, or exchange with, any other state forestry organization or the United States Forest Service. Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes, the commissioner may sell such seeds and seedlings at prices or on such terms that he deems appropriate and such prices or terms may exceed the cost of the seeds or seedlings to the state of Connecticut.

(d) The commissioner shall require that each purchaser of seedlings, except for any nonprofit conservation organization, sign an agreement stating that the seedlings will be used for the aforementioned purposes and will not be resold at any time with roots attached and he may take such other measures as he deems necessary to assure himself that seedlings so purchased shall not be used for shade trees, landscaping or ornamental plantings. Nonprofit conservation organizations may resell or otherwise distribute seedling stock purchased from the commissioner, provided such resale or distribution is in furtherance of the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall require that each nonprofit conservation organization purchasing seedlings sign an agreement that the seedlings will be resold, distributed or otherwise utilized in furtherance of such purposes and he may take such other measures as he deems necessary to assure that seedlings so purchased shall not be used for shade trees, landscaping or ornamental plantings.