(a) No person shall commence a cutting operation unless seed trees have been reserved pursuant to the natural regeneration method set forth herein or pursuant to an alternate management plan approved by the State Forester or the State Forester’s designee.
(b) This subchapter shall not apply to operations cutting timber from land being cleared for reservoirs, military installations, agriculture, residential, ditch and utility right-of-ways, industrial sites, or railroads, or to cutting operations undertaken pursuant to a contract executed prior to January 1, 1989.
(c) The Department of Agriculture shall have the authority to adopt, amend, modify or repeal such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to effectuate the policies and the purposes of this subchapter.