Organization of the Forestry Commision

MISSISSIPPI FORESTRY COMMISSION Administrative Rules Title 2: Agriculture and Commerce Part 601: Organization of the Forestry Commission Part 601 Chapter 1: Board of Commissioners Rule 1.1 Composition of Board Members. The Forestry Commission is composed of ten (10) members who must be qualified electors of the state. The Dean of the School of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University shall be an ex officio member of the Commission, with full voting authority. The chairman of the advisory committee to the Mississippi Institute of Forest Inventory shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the Commission. The Governor appoints the remaining eight (8) members of the Commission with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of six (6) years. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §49-19-1(1) (Supp. 2011). Rule 1.2 Appointment of Board Members. The Governor shall appoint one (1) member from each congressional district as constituted at the time the appointments are made and shall appoint the remainder of the members from the state at large. A member from a congressional district must be a certified tree farmer who owns eighty (80) or more acres of forest land or a person who derives a major portion of their personal income from forest-related business, industry, or other related activities. Members of the commission from the state at large may or may not possess the same qualifications as members from the congressional districts. If a vacancy occurs in the office of an appointed member of the commission, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the balance of the unexpired term. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §49-19-1(1) and (3) (Supp. 2011). Part 601 Chapter 2: State Forester Rule 2.1 Selection of State Forester. The Commission shall appoint a State Forester who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Commission and who is qualified to perform the duties as set forth in Miss. Code Ann. §§49-19-3 et seq. (Supp. 2011) and to pay him such salary as is provided by the Legislature, and allow him such office expenses incidental to the performance of his official duties as the commission, in its discretion, may deem necessary. Any person appointed by the commission as State Forester shall have received a bachelor's degree in forestry from an accredited school or college of forestry and shall be licensed and registered under the provisions of the Mississippi Foresters Registration Law and in addition shall have had at least five (5) years' administrative experience in a forestry-related field. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §49-19-3(a) (Supp. 2011).

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Rule 2.2 Duties. The State Forester shall have the immediate direction and control, subject to the supervision and approval of the Commission, of all matters relating to forestry as authorized by the legislature. The Commission has the authority and duties as specified by the legislature, in particularly those enumerated in Miss. Code Ann. §§49-19-3 et seq. (Supp. 2011). Source: Miss. Code Ann. §49-19-3 et seq. (Supp. 2011). Part 601 Chapter 3: Forestry Districts Rule 3.1 Districts. The State is divided into seven districts. Each district is managed by a District Forester who reports directly to the State Forester. The districts and the locations of the respective district offices are as follows: A. Northeast District – Tupelo, MS B. East Central – Philadelphia, MS C. South Central – Bay Springs, MS D. Southeast – Wiggins, MS E. Southwest – Brookhaven, MS F. Capital – Pearl, MS G. Northwest – Grenada, MS Source: Miss. Code Ann. §49-19-3(9) (Rev. 2003).

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