Is this legal?

I got the beer!

CopilotCompanion wrote:

Thom02099 wrote:
Here we go...gets popcorn...and waits...

Funny. Pls pass the Milk Duds.

Looks like it's gonna be a double feature. Good thing I got nachos too...:W

dodge guy wrote:

Roy&Lynne wrote:
Sorry, I didn't mean to start anything - well maybe I did. It seems to me that if we all trimmed a little bit from a camping area that soon there would be nothing left to enjoy.We might as well just all stay in concrete campgrounds.

Actually if we all trimmed just a bit for our RV's to fit then there would be no more "is it ok to trim a tree at my site?" Posts! And everyone would be happy!

X2 BTW, someone mentioned nature has a way to take care of it. It is called a Forest Fire. If the wood is on the ground, I burn it. if a branch is about to poke my eye out when I walk around the camper, I cut it. :B

It is going to depend on the state, and the specific park, but generally the answer is NO!.

Before doing anything like this, talk to the campground host, talk to the park ranger. Even at my brother's house, I ask him before starting to prune trees so I can get my RV into his driveway.

spoon059 wrote:

dewey02 wrote:
36 CFR 261.9 (USDA Forest Service) Damaging or removing any natural feature or other property of the United States.
36 CFR 2.1 (National Park Service) ) Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state Plants or the parts or products thereof.

You make good points. I have to wonder about the actual wording of the charging document though. I mean in theory what is the difference between trimming a tree branch to fit your camper versus knocking a branch out of the way while on a hike?

Without knowing the laws (or more specifically the jury instructions), its hard for me to know. Is it "destroying" a tree to trim a branch? I doubt it. Is it "injuring" a tree to trim a branch? When the government authorizes brutish trimming of trees along roadways and power grids and they claim it isn't injuring the tree, it makes it really difficult to claim that a simple removal of one branch is damaging that particular tree.

Also, state parks are vastly different from the National Forest System... but either way the simple removal of a low hanging tree branch is likely not to set in motion criminal enforcement... or so I would think.

Again, I'm glad that I have a relatively small travel trailer with 12' clearance. I have never had these problems and I'm not sure how I would react if I did.

What you say is true. It is really an interpretation that is left to the LEO, as it should be. As I said, often times you may just get a warning notice. But depending upon the severity of your "trimming" or your attitude, you can definitely get cited. Most citations get paid. A few request to go before a magistrate who decides the case. These are not jury trials. State Park rules and violations are really not much different than the feds, similar rules but just a different court system.

I think everyone is getting a little worked up here! Some of you are thinking that every single person in every single campsite is going to trim a tree to fit their RV. truth is its only going to happen to about 1 or 2 sites one time a year. hardly a reason to scream "the sky is falling!" Personally I have only trimmed about a foot of a small branch once in 13 years of RV`ing. It doesn`t happen as often as some of you are making it seem!

Thom02099 wrote:
Here we go...gets popcorn...and waits...

Funny. Pls pass the Milk Duds.

dewey02 wrote:
36 CFR 261.9 (USDA Forest Service) Damaging or removing any natural feature or other property of the United States.
36 CFR 2.1 (National Park Service) ) Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state Plants or the parts or products thereof.

You make good points. I have to wonder about the actual wording of the charging document though. I mean in theory what is the difference between trimming a tree branch to fit your camper versus knocking a branch out of the way while on a hike?

Without knowing the laws (or more specifically the jury instructions), its hard for me to know. Is it "destroying" a tree to trim a branch? I doubt it. Is it "injuring" a tree to trim a branch? When the government authorizes brutish trimming of trees along roadways and power grids and they claim it isn't injuring the tree, it makes it really difficult to claim that a simple removal of one branch is damaging that particular tree.

Also, state parks are vastly different from the National Forest System... but either way the simple removal of a low hanging tree branch is likely not to set in motion criminal enforcement... or so I would think.

Again, I'm glad that I have a relatively small travel trailer with 12' clearance. I have never had these problems and I'm not sure how I would react if I did.

A branch here, a branch there, everything ends up being in someone's "way" if you squint and look at it just right (or don't look at all and back right into it). Before long the tree has a disease from stress, or is lopsided and prone to wind damage. Either way, it gets cut down and the park is a little worse because of it. Maybe another tree will take its place in 50-60 years, the great grand children can enjoy it.

Time for wieners and s'mores at the campfire, send the kids into the brush to snap off saplings or limbs from small trees. Way easier than picking up a package of bamboo sticks at Wally World. Oh, have the little buggers peel as many birch trees as they can find, I forgot to bring old news paper along to start the fire. That tree doesn't need its skin to protect it from insects and disease.

A few more tire tracks in the Utah desert, so what, it won't make any difference. Without the bio-crust protecting the lighter soil underneath, the wind and rain will carry that soil away, making the tracks into ruts, that may never fill in naturally... it's a new feature, come see the majestic SUV ruts.

i'll just cut this one branch,maybe let my dog off the leash for a little romp in the pond so he can chase the ducks,he doesn't bite,maybe run my genny a little longer than i'm supposed to,it's just a few minutes,nobody will mind.see where this is going?