Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1854: Trees boxed for pitch or turpentine

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is illegal to cut or box trees on federal lands to extract pitch or turpentine, or to knowingly buy products made from illegally harvested pitch or turpentine. Violators face fines and/or up to one year imprisonment.

Read the full statutory text

Whoever cuts, chips, chops, or boxes any tree upon any lands belonging to the United States, or upon any lands covered by or embraced in any unperfected settlement, application, filing, entry, selection, or location, made under any law of the United States, for the purpose of obtaining from such tree any pitch, turpentine, or other substance; or Whoever buys, trades for, or in any manner acquires any pitch, turpentine, or other substance, or any article or commodity made from any such pitch, turpentine, or other substance, with knowledge that the same has been so unlawfully obtained— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.