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Show Utah Forestry Dept. Gives Xmas Tree Policy The Utah Forestry Department reminds Christmas tree vendors that the Slate law requires "Each tree offered for sale, sold or given giv-en away, must be tagged to show compliance with th; provisions of this act ..." The law also states, "Any vendor of Christmas trees will be required to show source of supply, and for trees native to Utah, the vendor will show by legal subdivision, the lands from which Christmas tros were cut. For Christmas tress cut from private land, the vendor will present satisfactory evidence evi-dence showing legal possession." Trees shipped into Utah for sale must be tagged. Assistant Stat? Forester Paul Sjoblom suggests that every purchaser pur-chaser of a Christmas tree look for a tag displayed on the tree as evidence that the tree was legally obtainsd. He pointed out that ths law reads "... possession posses-sion of an untagged tree will be prima facie evidence of violation." viola-tion." This means that anyone in possession of an untagged tree is guilty of a misdemeanor. The Utah Forestry Department wishes wish-es to avoid prosecution of innocent inno-cent persons. Therefore, the purchaser pur-chaser of a Christmas tree should insist on procuring only a tagged tree for his own protection. Trees cut- from private land for individual indivi-dual use, that are not for resale, must also be tagged. Sjoblom said that U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management Man-agement or commercial shippers tags are valid. The Utah Forestry Department issues a tag for trees procured from privately owned lands. Tags may be purchased from State District Foresters, County Sheriffs, or -the Salt Lake Headquarters of the Utah Forestry Fores-try Department. A bill of sale certifying to the legal acquisition acquisi-tion and describing the location of the trees to be cut must be shown to obtain the State tags. The tags should be purchased before the trees are cut. The tags should be securely tied or stapled to the tree near the butt end so as to be readily visible during shipment. The Utah Forestry Department urges all Christmas tree vendors to become familiar with the State Law and to comply. Violators will be apprehended and prosecuted prosecu-ted with the assistance of city, county and state law enforcement officers. |