Chapter 87

Section 1. All trees within a public way or on the boundaries thereof including trees planted in accordance with the provisions of section 7 shall be public shade trees; and when it appears in any proceeding in which the ownership of or rights in a tree are material to the issue,…

Section 10. Whoever without authority trims, cuts down or removes a tree, shrub or growth, within a state highway or maliciously injures, defaces or destroys any such tree, shrub or growth shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more th…

Section 11. Whoever wilfully, maliciously or wantonly cuts, destroys or injures a tree, shrub or growth which is not his own, standing for any useful purpose, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.

Section 12. Whoever wantonly injures, defaces or destroys a shrub, plant or tree, or fixture of ornament or utility, in a public way or place or in any public enclosure, or negligently or wilfully suffers an animal driven by or for him or belonging to him to injure, deface or des…

Section 13. The powers and duties conferred and imposed upon tree wardens in towns by this chapter shall be exercised and performed in cities by the officers charged with the care of shade trees within the limits of the highway.

Section 14. (a) For the purposes of this section, ''utility'' shall mean a company engaging in the distribution of electricity or owning, operating or controlling distribution facilities; provided, however, that a distribution company shall not include any entity which owns or op…

Section 2. The tree warden of a town may appoint and remove deputy tree wardens. He and they shall receive such compensation as the town determines or, in default thereof, as the selectmen allow. He shall have the care and control of all public shade trees, shrubs and growths in …

Section 3. Except as provided by section five, public shade trees shall not be cut, trimmed or removed, in whole or in part, by any person other than the tree warden or his deputy, even if he be the owner of the fee in the land on which such tree is situated, except upon a permit…

Section 4. Tree wardens shall not cut down or remove or grant a permit for the cutting down or removal of a public shade tree if, at or before a public hearing as provided in the preceding section, objection in writing is made by one or more persons, unless such cutting or remova…

Section 5. Tree wardens and their deputies, but no other person, may, without a hearing, trim, cut down or remove trees, less than one and one half inches in diameter one foot from the ground, and bushes, standing in public ways; and, if ordered by the mayor, selectmen, road comm…

Section 6. Violations of any provision of the three preceding sections shall be punished by forfeiture of not more than five hundred dollars to the use of the city or town.

Section 7. Cities and towns may appropriate money for the purpose of acquiring and planting shade trees in public ways. The tree warden, or a private organization acting with the written consent of the tree warden, may plant shade trees acquired with public or private funds in a …

Section 8. The department of highways, in this chapter called the department, shall have the care and control of all trees, shrubs and growths within state highways, and may trim, cut or remove such trees, shrubs and growths, or license the trimming, cutting or removal thereof. N…

Section 9. Whoever affixes to a tree in a public way or place a notice, sign, advertisement or other thing, whether in writing or otherwise, or cuts, paints or marks such tree, except for the purpose of protecting it or the public and under a written permit from the officer havin…