Section 740 ILCS 185/2.5 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Trees intentionally cut or knowingly caused to be cut on protected landAny party found to have intentionally cut or knowingly caused to be cut any standing timber or tree, other than a tree or woody plant referenced in the Illinois Exotic Weeds Act, on protected land, which he or she did not have the legal right to so cut or cause to be cut, must pay 3 times stumpage value plus remediation costs to the party that owns an interest in the land, including, but not limited to, holding a conservation right to the land. Remediation costs include one or more of the following:
(1) cleanup to remove trees, portions of trees, or debris from trees cut, damaged, moved, placed, or left as a result of tree cutting from perennial drainage ways or water holding basins;(2) soil erosion stabilization and remediation for issues that were not pre-existing;(3) remediation of damages to the native standing trees and other native woody or herbaceous plant understory;(4) remediation of damages to the native tree understory through coppicing, planting of potted native trees, planting of native tree seedlings as individual practices or in combination as deemed appropriate under Section 3.5 of this Act. Any work under this item (4) must be done by a qualified professional forester or ecological restoration professional;(5) associated exotic invasive plant species control for a period of 3 years with one treatment per year on those portions of the property where trees were wrongfully cut if prior to the encroachment there had been an active and ongoing effort made to control the plants, and due to the disturbance, advantage was given to pre-existing or new exotic invasive plant growth. Exotic plant control must be done by a qualified professional forester or ecological restoration professional;(6) seeding of annual grass to skid trails; or(7) staff salaries, contractor fees, and materials as directly related, documented, and required to address remediation costs under this Section.Amended by P.A. 103-0620,§ 20, eff. 1/1/2025.Added by P.A. 101-0102,§ 5, eff. 7/19/2019.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.