02 NCAC 60A .0103          DEFINITIONS

(a)  As used in this Chapter:

(1)           Applicant.  Any person applying to purchase or otherwise obtain forest tree seed or seedlings from state forest tree nurseries;

(2)           Clonal Material.  Vegetative material taken from forest trees in any seed orchard or from any genetically improved tree;

(3)           County Forest Ranger.  A ranger who is administratively responsible for a county forestry program;

(4)           Custom Forest Services.  All services which utilize approved silvicultural or protection practices to enhance or improve forest and wildlife habitat conditions, and which are performed for a fee designed to cover performance costs;

(5)           Custom Ranger.  An employee of the division trained in forestry practices and equipment use;

(6)           Custom Sale.  An order for forest tree seedlings accepted prior to the sowing of seed in the nursery;

(7)           District Forester.  A forester employee of the division who is responsible for a district unit of the field organization which comprises a group of county programs;

(8)           Department.  The Department of Natural Resources and Community Development;

(9)           Director.  The Director of the Division of Forest Resources;

(10)         Division.  The division of forest resources of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development;

(11)         Fire Boss.  A forest ranger who has official tactical direction of forest fire suppression activities on an individual fire;

(12)         Forest Law Enforcement Officer.  Any person holding the legal appointment of forest law enforcement officer;

(13)         Forest Practices.  Any activity conducted on forest land for the purpose of growing, harvesting, or processing timber, including, but not limited to:

(A)          road and trail construction and maintenance,

(B)          harvesting,

(C)          precommercial thinning,

(D)          reforestation,

(E)           fertilization,

(F)           prevention and suppression of disease and insect attacks,

(G)          salvage of trees,

(H)          brush control,

(I)            prescribed burning,

(J)            fire control presuppression measures;

Forest practices in this context does not include preparatory work, such as tree marking, surveying, and road flagging, nor does it include removal or harvesting of incidental vegetation from forest lands, such as berries, ferns, greenery, mistletoe, herbs, mushrooms, and other products which cannot ordinarily be expected to result in damage of forest soils, timber, or public resources;

(14)         Forest Ranger.  Any person holding the legal appointment as a forest ranger;

(15)         Forestation Ranger.  A supervisory employee of the division's custom forestry program trained in forestry practices and equipment use;

(16)         Local County Forest Ranger.  A ranger responsible for division program activities in a geographically identifiable area, but not necessarily restricted to the county forest ranger;

(17)         Management Forester.  A forester employee of the division whose primary duty assignments are in the forest management program;

(18)         Nursery and Tree Improvement Forester.  A forester employee of the division who is responsible for the nursery and tree improvement programs;

(19)         Person.  Any natural person, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, firm or co‑partnership;

(20)         Secretary.  The Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development;

(21)         Staff Committee.  An appointed group of staff employees of the department with a specific assignment of authority and responsibility over and above the regular work assignments of the individual employees.

(b)  The definitions and terms used in this Chapter are developed to provide a clear meaning of each term.  All technical forestry terms are in agreement with the terminology as detailed in "Terminology of Forest Science, Terminology Practice and Products," Washington, D.C., Society of American Foresters, 1971.

(c)  Other definitions relating to specific sections are included in 15A NCAC 09C .0802 and .0901.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 106-22; 143B‑10(j);

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Amended Eff. October 2, 1978;

Readopted Eff. November 6, 1980;

Amended Eff. October 1, 1984;

Transferred from 15A NCAC 09A .0104 Eff. May 1, 2012;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. September 19, 2015.