Maine § 1841. - Timber trespass on nonreserved public lands

§ 1841.. Timber trespass on nonreserved public lands

1.  Director to prosecute trespass cases.  The director shall prosecute cases of trespass on nonreserved public lands under the care, custody, control or management of the bureau.

2.  Liability of trespassers.  If any person unlawfully enters or trespasses upon nonreserved public land while that land is under the care, custody, control or management of the bureau by cutting, destroying, taking or carrying away any trees, timber, wood, grass or other materials under or upon those lands without the express written consent of the bureau, that person and all persons participating in those actions are trespassers, jointly and severally liable in damages for such trespass, and they may be sued for trespass in any county. The measure of damages is the highest price those materials would bring at the usual place of sale of the materials. If the trespass is willful, the court shall assess treble damages and the costs of maintaining the action. For the purposes of this section, a trespass is willful if the land upon which the materials were cut, destroyed or taken, or from which the materials were carried away, was posted with conspicuous notices of state ownership at or near the point where roads entered into the state-owned land; if the land is otherwise posted or identified in a manner reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders; or if the intruder had actual knowledge of the fact of state ownership.

3.  Title to materials illegally taken to remain in State.  Title to all materials taken in violation of this section must remain in the State, and the State may seize and sell all such materials. At such a sale, no person who was connected in any way with committing such a trespass or who aided those who committed it may become a purchaser directly or indirectly.

4.  Penalty.