Section 14: Offences

14. Offences (1) No person shall— (a) plant a mountain or river reserve, or cause the reserve to be planted, otherwise than with fruit trees, forest trees or crops approved by the authorised officer; (b) cultivate a mountain or river reserve otherwise than in accordance with any directions that may be given by the authorised officer; or (c) without the written authority of the authorised officer, build any structure on a mountain or river reserve. [Issue 1] F22 – 8 Revised Laws of Mauritius (2) No person shall— (a) without the written authority of the authorised officer or, in the case of forest land, the owner— (i) introduce any article or thing injurious to plant life on to State land, forest land or a mountain, river or nature reserve; (ii) be in possession of a firearm or an implement on State land, forest land or a mountain, river or nature reserve; (iii) depasture any animal or allow any animal to graze on State land, forest land or a mountain, river or nature reserve; (iv) damage, destroy, dig or remove any forest produce on or from State land, forest land or any reserve or be in possession of any forest produce so damaged, destroyed, dug or removed; or (v) act negligently or maliciously in a manner which causes or is likely to cause soil erosion; (b) deposit or throw any rubbish, article or thing of a dangerous or offensive nature on any State land or reserve; (c) introduce any plant or animal into a nature reserve; (d) light a fire in a nature reserve without the written authority of the authorised officer; (e) in any way interfere with a nature reserve or damage any feature on a nature reserve; (f) be in a national forest, between 6 pm and 6 am; (g) plant, cultivate or intentionally spread or propagate cuscuta creepers; or (h) damage or interfere in any way with a protected plant on any State land or reserve. (3) Any person who, without the authority of the authorised officer— (a) marks any forest produce or affixes on any forest produce a mark used by a forest officer to indicate that the forest produce is the property of Government or that it may be lawfully cut or removed; (b) alters, obliterates, removes or defaces any stamp, mark, sign or permit used by a forest officer; (c) alters, obliterates, removes or defaces any stamp, mark or sign appearing on any forest produce; (d) covers any tree stump on State land, forest land, a reserve or a road reserve with brushwood or earth or by any means conceals, destroys or removes a tree stump; or (e) wears any uniform, badge or other mark issued to be worn by a forest officer, shall commit an offence. F22 – 9 [Issue 1] Forests and Reserves Act (4) Any person who contravenes this Act or any regulations made under this Act or any direction given by the authorised officer shall commit an offence. (5) Except with the authorisation of the authorised officer, no person shall enter into or remain in a nature reserve in which a sign prohibiting or restricting public access is displayed pursuant to section 3A, otherwise than in compliance with the indication in that sign. [S. 14 amended by Act 1 of 1986; s. 4 of Act 7 of 2003.]