§ 9-1503. Removal of protected plants.

1. For the purposes of this section, "plants" shall mean species of
native shrubs, trees, herbs, ferns, fern-allies and wild flowers;
"endangered species" shall mean those species of plants in danger of
extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges
within the state, and requiring remedial action to prevent such
extinction; "threatened species" shall mean those species of plants that
are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout
all or a significant portion of their ranges within the state; "rare
species" shall mean those species of plants that have small populations
within their ranges in the state, and "exploitably vulnerable species"
shall mean those species of plants that are likely to become threatened
in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their
ranges within the state if causal factors continue unchecked.

2. The department may, by rule and regulation, promulgate and adopt a
list or lists of protected plants which by reason of their endangered,
rare, threatened or exploitably vulnerable status should not be picked
or removed from their natural habitat. In promulgating and adopting such
list or lists the department shall consult with and cooperate with the
departments of agriculture and markets and education and other affected
public or private organizations. Plants included in such list or lists
may be so included for purposes of the entire state or portions thereof.
Such list or lists may be modified in whole or in part through the
institution of a permit or waiver-issuing procedure.

3. No person shall, in any area designated by such list or lists,
knowingly pick, pluck, sever, remove, damage by the application of
herbicides or defoliants or carry away, without the consent of the owner
thereof, any protected plant. An offense under this section shall be a
violation, punishable by a fine of not to exceed twenty-five dollars.

4. The department is authorized to regulate the harvesting,
collection, sale, and exportation of American ginseng (Panax
quinquefolius) plants, roots and cuttings. The department is further
authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the
authority conferred herein.