76-12-104. Definitions. (1) "Board" means the board of land commissioners.

(2) "Department" means the department of natural resources and conservation.

(3) "Natural area" means an area of land that must generally appear to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature with the visual aspects of human intrusion not dominant and also must have one or more of the following characteristics:

(a) an outstanding mixture or variety of vegetation, wildlife, water resource, landscape, and scenic values;

(b) an important or rare ecological or geological feature or other rare or significant natural feature worthy of preservation for scientific, educational, or ecological purposes.

(4) "Natural areas system" means the composite of lands in the state that exhibit the characteristics of natural areas and that have been designated by the board or dedicated or otherwise protected and managed as natural areas.

(5) "Register" means the Montana register of natural areas established under 76-12-121.