HB5488 EngrossedLRB103 37550 JAG 67674 b

1    AN ACT concerning conservation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Legacy
5Tree Program Task Force Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings; purpose.
7    (a) The General Assembly finds that:
8        (1) Trees are essential to ecological, cultural, and
9    economic life on Earth.
10        (2) Trees support species diversity, food webs,
11    habitats, and numerous ecological processes, such as water
12    and air purification.
13        (3) Trees assist in regulating climate and soil
14    fertility.
15        (4) The State must commit to preserving and
16    celebrating our legacy and heritage trees and must develop
17    pathways for the public to advocate for the preservation
18    of trees in communities.
19    (b) The General Assembly intends this Act to help create a
20Statewide legacy tree program to promote the identification,
21awareness, commemoration, and preservation of significant
22trees within the State.
 

 

 

HB5488 Engrossed- 2 -LRB103 37550 JAG 67674 b

1    Section 10. Legacy Tree Program Task Force.
2    (a) The Legacy Tree Program Task Force is created, shall
3meet on a quarterly basis for 4 years after the effective date
4of this Act, and shall, by no later than June 30, 2028, submit
5to the General Assembly, in accordance with Section 3.1 of the
6General Assembly Organization Act, a report that contains the
7final recommendations developed under subsection (b).
8    (b) The Legacy Tree Program Task Force shall establish
9recommendations for the creation of a statewide legacy tree
10recognition program to promote the identification, awareness,
11commemoration, and preservation of significant trees in the
12State.
13    (c) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
14        (1) one representative of the Illinois Environmental
15    Council, appointed by the Governor;
16        (2) one representative of the Morton Arboretum,
17    appointed by the Governor;
18        (3) the director of the Illinois Environmental
19    Protection Agency or a representative of their choosing;
20        (4) one representative of the Illinois Forestry
21    Development Council, appointed by the Governor;
22        (5) one representative of the Shawnee National Forest,
23    appointed by the Governor;
24        (6) one representative of the Southern Illinois
25    University Department of Forestry, appointed by the
26    Governor;

 

 

HB5488 Engrossed- 3 -LRB103 37550 JAG 67674 b

1        (7) one representative of the University of Illinois
2    Extension forestry program, appointed by the Governor;
3        (8) one representative of an association that
4    represents Illinois arborists, appointed by the Governor;
5        (9) two representatives of the Department of Natural
6    Resources, appointed by the Governor;
7        (10) one representative of the Sierra Club, appointed
8    by the Governor;
9        (11) one representative of the Chicago Urban Forestry
10    Board, appointed by the Governor;
11        (12) one representative of a forest preserve district
12    in a county that is adjacent to Cook County, appointed by
13    the Governor;
14        (13) one representative of a forest preserve district
15    located south of Interstate 80, appointed by the Governor;
16        (14) one representative of the Illinois Park District
17    Association, appointed by the Governor;
18        (15) one member of the House of Representatives,
19    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
20        (16) one member of the House of Representatives,
21    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
22    Representatives;
23        (17) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
24    President of the Senate; and
25        (18) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
26    Minority Leader of the Senate.

 

 

HB5488 Engrossed- 4 -LRB103 37550 JAG 67674 b

1    (d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without
2compensation.
3    (e) The Department of Natural Resources shall provide
4staff and administrative support services to the Task Force
5and serve as the lead and chair agency of the Task Force.
 
6    Section 15. Responsibilities. The Task Force shall
7establish recommendations for the following:
8        (1) criteria for a definition of legacy tree and
9    legacy tree standards that can be used on a variety of
10    trees;
11        (2) criteria for which the historical and cultural
12    significance of a tree could be measured;
13        (3) procedures for nominating trees on public and
14    private property;
15        (4) exploring partnership opportunities with units of
16    local government for oversight of the legacy tree program
17    and participation in the program;
18        (5) creating a public awareness program, including
19    digital media, a website, a legacy tree tool kit and
20    educational materials to be made available by the
21    Department of Natural Resources for use by units of local
22    government;
23        (6) exploring funding sources for the operation and
24    maintenance of the statewide legacy tree program,
25    including grant funding opportunities to facilitate

 

 

HB5488 Engrossed- 5 -LRB103 37550 JAG 67674 b

1    participation in the program by units of local government;
2        (7) procedures for withdrawing trees from program;
3        (8) procedures for legacy tree assessment;
4        (9) procedures for how a tree would be designated or
5    honored physically;
6        (10) procedures for mapping trees on a searchable
7    website; and
8        (11) procedures for delisting a healthy designated
9    legacy tree.
 
10    Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on June 30, 2034.