Fifteen people were convicted last month of stealing more than 2 tons of evergreen boughs in Washington County, the Maine Forest Service said Thursday.

Under Maine law, people who harvest evergreen boughs and other forest products must obtain written permission from the landowner. The written permission must accompany the product when it is transported.

If convicted of violations, people face fines and civil litigation brought by the landowners.

Jim Downie, spokesman for the Maine Forest Service, said the recent convictions were the result of investigations conducted by rangers who responded to complaints in early to mid December. The complaints led to the confiscation of more than 2 tons of wreath boughs. Individual fines ranged from $150 to $250.

Downie said that of the 15 people prosecuted, only a few were repeat offenders. “I would say there are two we’ve dealt with repeatedly over the years,” he said.

The Forest Service spokesman said that the perpetrators often are caught as a result of a tip from the landowner or by a ranger who sees suspicious activity.

According to Downie, the ranger “may see a road where there is normally not a lot of wear and tear. It could be an area where there is regeneration occurring, spruce and fir. And the fir is what people are looking for. So naturally it’s assumed that somebody is in there that shouldn’t be. A lot of it is by sight, but a lot of it is also by history. Forest rangers Down East have been there for quite a few years. They know where the problem areas are and who the problem people are.”

Downie recommended that tippers approach a landowner ahead of time.

“If they pay for the stumpage rights for these tips, they have a better chance,” he said. “So the opportunities are there, but unfortunately a lot of people don’t make that effort. They think there is a fast buck to be made, and in three to five weeks they can make some pretty good money. So they just decide to go in and begin hacking. And if they get caught – they get caught,” he said.

Although the fines are not that high, landowners can seek damages.

“Generally, we’ve had successful cases in the past where [the landowner] can recoup the value of the boughs, plus triple damages,” he said. They also can recoup damages to their road or property.

In some instances, confiscated boughs are returned to the landowner, who can then sell them. “A great majority of them go back to the landowner and they recoup some of their loss,” he said.

For information about Maine’s wreath tipping or other forestry laws call the Maine Forest Service at (800) 367-0223.