3. There is established in the Department of Environmental Protection the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. The board shall consist of nine members, including the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection or the commissioner’s designee, who shall serve ex officio, and eight members, appointed by the Governor with the advise and consent of the Senate as follows: five shall be licensed tree experts, two shall be licensed tree care operators, and one shall possess knowledge of arboriculture or forestry, including urban forestry. However, of the public members first appointed, three of the five licensed tree expert memberships shall be appointed from the members of the board of tree experts established by P.L.1940, c.100 (C. 45:15-1 et seq.), participating on the board on the date of enactment of this act, and the remaining tree experts first appointed shall be certified, on or before the date of enactment of this act, pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1940, c.100 (C. 45:15C-1 et seq.). The initial members of the board, including the tree care operators first appointed, need not be licensed until 180 days following the promulgation of initial regulations by the board to carry out the provisions of this act. Thereafter, the members of the board subsequently appointed shall be licensed before appointment. The three members of the board of tree experts shall be appointed for a term of three years, and one of the initial tree care operators shall be appointed for a term of three years; the remaining two initial tree experts and the remaining initial tree care operator shall be appointed for a term of two years; and the initial member possessing knowledge of arboriculture or forestry shall be appointed for a term of one year. Thereafter, all members appointed shall serve for terms of three years or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms only.

L.2009, c.237, s.3.