Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§1853 Trees cut or injured
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 91— - PUBLIC LANDS › § 1853
Summary
Cutting, destroying, or seriously injuring trees on U.S. public lands, Indian reservations, tribal lands under U.S. authority, or Indian allotments still held in trust or not sellable without U.S. consent is a crime. Offenders can be fined or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1853
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever unlawfully cuts, or wantonly injures or destroys any tree growing, standing, or being upon any land of the United States which, in pursuance of law, has been reserved or purchased by the United States for any public use, or upon any Indian reservation, or lands belonging to or occupied by any tribe of Indians under the authority of the United States, or any Indian allotment while the title to the same shall be held in trust by the Government, or while the same shall remain inalienable by the allottee without the consent of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 104 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 50, 35 Stat. 1098; June 25, 1910, ch. 431, § 6, 36 Stat. 857). Reference to persons aiding or procuring was deleted as unnecessary since such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. Maximum fine was increased from $500 to $1,000 to conform to other comparable sections of this chapter. (See section 1851 and 1852 of this title.) Minor changes were also made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1853
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73