(a) Any other provision of law not withstanding, all lands, and all rights therein, on which landscaping, planting or reforestation activities take place pursuant to this subchapter shall remain in the possession and control of the Department of Transportation for the duration of the construction project and shall remain so thereafter until such time as the Department of Transportation determines that such lands no longer meet its existing or projected needs. At such time, the Department of Transportation may transfer any or all of said lands to any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of the State for the purposes of preserving them for the public good.
(b) At no time may the Department of Transportation, or any other agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of the State transfer any right in or to lands on which reforestation activities take place that would in any way change the nature of the lands from forestland or that would permit development of any kind on said lands other than for the purposes of establishing or expanding a local, state or federal park, natural area, or preserve.
(c) The Department of Transportation may perform maintenance activities such as pruning or the selective removal of diseased or dead trees as it deems necessary for the safe operation of the transportation system.
Structure Delaware Code
Subchapter VII. Projects Requiring Landscape and Reforestation Activities
§ 203. Duty to incorporate cost of landscaping, planting and reforestation activities.
§ 204. Reclamation of dedicated funds.
§ 205. Duty to minimize removal, cutting or clearing of landscape improvements.
§ 209. Mitigation needs analysis.
§ 210. Inability to meet minimum requirements; alternate landscaping and planting activities.