As used in sections 23-5a to 23-5i, inclusive:

1. (1) “Natural area” means an area of land or water, or land and water, containing, or potentially containing, plant or animal life or features of biological, scientific, educational, geological, paleontological, or scenic value worthy of preservation in their natural condition;
2. (2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection;
3. (3) “Natural area preserve” means a natural area which has been approved by the commissioner and designated by the Governor. Such designation shall be effective only as to interests in land owned by the state or conveyed to the state in form approved by the commissioner within ninety days after such designation or land subject to a conservation restriction, as defined by section 47-42a, conveyed to the state by a private landowner; and
4. (4) “Protected resources” means the particular conditions, vegetation or natural features within a natural area preserve, including, but not limited to, any species of plant or wildlife, which require protection and preservation in order to continue and flourish.

(1969, P.A. 727, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 160; P.A. 91-65, S. 2; 91-358, S. 2; P.A. 97-54, S. 1; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: 1971 act defined “commissioner” rather than “commission” and changed references throughout to reflect transfer of duties from state park and forest commission to commissioner of environmental protection; P.A. 91-65 rephrased the definition of “natural area”, redefined “natural area preserve” to include land dedicated to the state by a private landowner, and added a new Subsec. (d) defining “dedicated land”; P.A. 91-358 amended Subsec. (c) to remove from definition of natural area preserve land dedicated to the state by private land owners and substituted land subject to a conservation restriction and deleted Subsec. (d); P.A. 97-54 added definition of “protected resources” and replaced alphabetic Subdiv. indicators with numeric indicators; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subdiv. (2), effective July 1, 2011.