Article III — REMOVAL OF PLANTS

It shall be unlawful for any person to cut, pick, dig, collect, remove, mutilate or destroy the whole or any part of any species of yucca, cactus or agave, or any native tree, flowering shrub, ornamental plant, berry-bearing plant, vine, fern or wild flower, whether growing on public land or on any land not his own, including County and State roadways and railroad rights-of-way, in the City without a permit issued by the Agricultural Commissioner or except, in the case of private land, when and where the owner or his authorized agent has given his written consent thereto.

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly sell, offer or expose for sale or transport for sale any native plant, wild flower, fern, vine, shrub or tree or any portion thereof which has been picked, cut, dug or removed from public or private land in violation of the provisions of this article.

Permits may be issued by the Agricultural Commissioner to the duly accredited representatives of any public library, museum, school, scientific or other educational institution, or to herbarium and scientific collectors or to responsible individuals to take said plants or flowers for education or scientific purposes.

Any County fire warden, County forester or peace officer of the County shall have full power to enforce the provisions of this article and to confiscate any and all such plants or parts of plants or flowers that have been unlawfully cut, picked, dug or removed, or sold, offered or exposed for sale.

Nothing in this article shall be construed as making it unlawful for any person to graze, run or pasture livestock of any and all descriptions on any public lands of the United States in the City where any flowers, plants, or trees herein described are growing. It is also expressly provided that the provisions of this article shall not apply to any native plant which is declared by State law to be a public nuisance.