(1)(a) The State Land Board, with the assistance of the Natural Heritage Advisory Council, shall maintain a natural heritage office to provide assistance in the selection and nomination of areas containing natural heritage elements for registration or dedication.
(b) The Oregon Natural Heritage Plan established by ORS 273.578 shall govern the Natural Heritage Program in the conduct of activities to create and manage a system of natural heritage conservation areas which are complementary to and consistent with the research natural area program on federal lands in Oregon. This plan lists the natural heritage elements that should be represented on the Oregon Register of Natural Heritage Areas and in natural heritage conservation areas and provides criteria for the selection and approval of candidate natural areas for registration and dedication under ORS 273.563 to 273.591. In selecting natural heritage conservation areas, the inclusion of natural heritage resources, and especially those which are not adequately protected elsewhere, shall be given primary consideration. Inclusion and protection of special species shall be an important additional consideration in selecting natural heritage conservation areas, and wherever possible, individual species shall be protected in association with natural heritage resources or in assemblages of those species determined by the council to have special significance.
(2) The board may advise owners of natural heritage conservation areas concerning the management and use of such areas and may make available to state, federal and local agencies that manage lands within Oregon, information concerning the conservation of natural heritage elements.
(3) The board may apply for and accept grants, contributions and assistance from any federal, state or local government agency and any foundation, individual or organization for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of ORS 273.563 to 273.591. [1979 c.711 §5; 1983 c.786 §5; 2003 c.661 §2]
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