Section 110.70  Destruction of Property – Flora – Fauna – Man-Made and Inanimate Natural Objects – Collection of Artifacts

It shall be unlawful, on Department-owned, -leased or -managed property or facilities:

a)         For any person to injure or remove any animal, plant or part thereof, or attempt to disturb any agricultural crop, except:

1)         as otherwise provided by permit, law or regulation;

2)         as provided by a Department-sponsored program or activity under the direct supervision of an authorized employee; or

3)         in the collection of edible fungi, nuts and berries (not including ginseng berries, removal of which will remain unlawful) on Department-owned, -leased or -managed lands where the collection would not be incompatible with resource management activities or recreational programs at the site. Collection shall not be in conflict with the Natural Areas Preservation Act [525 ILCS 30] and shall occur only when the collection is for personal use only and not for re-sale.

A)        Collection hours for edible fungi, nuts and berries shall be allowed during the site's regular hours of operation only, except collection is not permitted at any site during the open hours of established hunting seasons at that site.

B)        Collection contests shall not be allowed on any State site.

b)         For any person to remove, take, alter, hide, construct, mutilate, deface, damage or destroy any natural or man-made property, equipment, improvement, sign, trail or building when the person does so to any such item which is supported, purchased or maintained by the State without the consent of the State when the value of or damage to the property is $150 or less, except as otherwise provided by permit, law, regulation, or by Department program activity under the direct supervision of an authorized employee.

c)         For any person to collect or take artifacts and/or mutilate, destroy, deface or excavate any archaeological site, except as provided by permit issued according to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 370.

d)         For any person to withdraw or pump water from any Department-owned, -leased or -managed lake, canal, wetland, river or stream except as authorized by Department permit.  The decision to grant or deny a permit will be based upon a balancing between the need of the permittee and the protected water level or flow.

e)         For any person to climb, stand, sit or walk on any structure, building, shelter, fence, gate, post, flagpole, picnic table, wall, refuse container, or parts thereof, or any equipment, object or apparatus owned by the Department that is not designed or intended for that use.

f)         For any person to take, appropriate, excavate, injure, destroy or remove any historical or prehistorical ruin, or parts thereof, or any object of antiquity, the total value of such items being less than $150 without prior written permission of the Director.

g)         For any person to throw, carry, cast, drag, push or deposit any container or receptacle, picnic table, barricade, or any other Department-owned, -leased or -managed property into any waterway or upon the frozen waters, or otherwise move, stack or hide such property in a way that renders it unavailable to the general public for its intended use.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 12553, effective September 24, 2021)