The department shall enforce the provisions of the California Desert Native Plants Act Division 23 (commencing with Section 80001) of the Food and Agricultural Code except that permits, tags, seals, and wood receipts shall be issued pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 80101) of Division 23 of the Food and Agricultural Code, by the county agricultural commissioner or the sheriff. Nothing in the California Desert Native Plants Act, or any other law, prohibits the department from taking, for scientific or propagation purposes, any species of native plants. The department may import, propagate, and distribute native plants, and the California Desert Native Plants Act does not apply to those activities.