Statement of Purpose; Establishment of the Guam Forest System

(a)The protection and conservation of natural resources and natural habitats or ecosystems, open spaces and historic artifacts, and land for outdoor recreation and education is of critical importance to the people of Guam, to whom the land belongs, and demands ever-increasing vigil and continual effort.

(b)The government of Guam realizes its responsibility to further allow the Department of Agriculture to meet its mandated mission of developing and protecting the agriculture, natural resources, and aquatic and wildlife resources of Guam, and to further set into statute practices that allow for the conservation and protection of these resources.

(c)The purpose of this Act shall be to hereby establish the Guam Forest System to augment the mandated responsibility of the Department of Agriculture to carry out this mission. The System shall be under the jurisdiction of the Department. The Director shall coordinate with the Guam Department of Land Management to identify land belonging to the government of Guam, and land reserved for use by the Department. Government properties determined to have compatible use for the Guam Forest System shall be included in an inventory.