Section 24-0901. Cooperative agreements

1.  Upon  completion  of the freshwater wetlands map, the commissioner
  shall confer with local government officials in each region in which the
  inventory has been conducted to establish a program for  the  protection
  of the freshwater wetlands of the state.
    2.  The  commissioner  may  enter into cooperative agreements with any
  city, village, town or county, or with an owner of  freshwater  wetlands
  or  with  any  one  or  more  of them, for the purpose of preserving and
  maintaining, in accordance with the  policies  of  this  article,  those
  freshwater  wetlands  which  are  within  the  boundaries  of such city,
  village, town or county.
    3.  The  cooperative  agreement  shall  provide  that  the  freshwater
  wetlands  be  preserved  and  maintained  in their natural state and may
  provide for access thereto to be retained by  such  owner  for  purposes
  compatible with the purposes of this article.
    4. A cooperative agreement with any such village, town, city or county
  may  provide  for  the  development  by  personnel and facilities of the
  department or the payment out of funds appropriated  therefor,  for  the
  purpose  of  preserving,  maintaining,  or  enhancing  such  wetlands in
  accordance with the policies of this article, and for the furnishing  of
  such personnel, facilities or funds as may be agreed upon by the parties
  to the cooperative agreement.
    5.  This  section  shall not prevent any freshwater wetland from being
  designated as part of the natural and historic preserves of  the  state,
  nor  shall  it prevent preservation of such lands by dedication as state
  parks.  The  office  of  parks  and  recreation  shall  outline  to  the
  commissioner  its  plans  to  preserve  freshwater wetlands as parks and
  reserves as soon as possible after the effective date of this article.