Minnesota Administrative Rules

6100.0900 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Subpart 1.

Generally.

Unless otherwise provided by law, no person in a state park or forest recreation area shall disturb, destroy, injure, damage, deface, molest, or remove any state property, including, but not limited to, wildflowers or vegetation of any kind dead or alive, ruins, wild animals, geological formations, historical or archaeological artifacts or sites, historic structures, signs, or facilities, except edible fruit, mushrooms, legally taken wild animals, and vegetation unavoidably damaged or destroyed by the ordinary recreational uses of these areas as specifically permitted by parts 6100.0100 to 6100.2400. Collections for scientific and educational purposes may be made only with the written permission of the commissioner. It is unlawful to damage vegetation or damage and deface rock formations with rock-climbing equipment.

Subp. 2.

State parks.

A.

Within a state park, collecting, harvesting, or taking a tangible object for resale or commercial use is prohibited, except by written permission of the commissioner. The commissioner may further restrict collecting, harvesting, or taking a plant, animal, or other tangible object for scientific, educational, commercial, or any other purpose if the commissioner finds it necessary for the protection of the park's resources.

B.

Collection of firewood in state parks, except where expressly permitted, is prohibited.

C.

Subject to posted restrictions, rock specimens and fossils may be collected at Hill Annex Mine State Park for noncommercial use.

D.

Harvesting wild rice on bodies of water totally enclosed within a state park boundary is prohibited except by written permission of the commissioner.

E.

Collecting or possessing naturally occurring plants in a fresh state in state parks is prohibited, except that edible fruit and mushrooms may be harvested for personal, noncommercial use.

F.

Except for scientific research conducted under special permit from the commissioner and with a field archaeology license issued by the state archaeologist, the use of metal detectors in state parks is permitted only for locating specifically identified items of lost personal property. Metal detectors may be used only with prior written permission from the park manager and under the supervision of the park manager.

G.

It is unlawful at any time to construct, occupy, or use an elevated scaffold or other elevated device in a state park, except that a portable tree stand may be used for hunting or watching wild animals if the stand is removed each day and does no permanent damage to the tree in which it is placed.

H.

A person may not release, place, or transplant plant or animal life in a state park unless approved by the commissioner. This item does not apply to a person operating under a contract, lease, license, or permit from the commissioner that allows releasing, placing, or transplanting plant or animal life in a state park.

Subp. 3.

Forest lands.

A.

Wood that is dead and lying on the ground on forest lands may be used to build fires, as long as it is used on forest lands and not removed, except under permit issued by the commissioner.

B.

No person may cut live merchantable trees on forest lands for constructing an elevated scaffold, except that shrubs, the lateral branches of trees, and saplings measuring smaller than four inches in diameter at 4-1/2 feet off the ground may be removed.

C.

A person may not release, place, or transplant plant or animal life on forest lands unless approved by the commissioner. This item does not apply to a person operating under a contract, lease, license, or permit from the commissioner that allows releasing, placing, or transplanting plant or animal life on forest lands.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 14.045; 84.03; 85.052; 85.053; 85.20; 86A.05; 86A.06; 89.031; 89.19 to 89.21; 89.71

History:

14 SR 2497; 24 SR 208

Published Electronically:

June 11, 2008