reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
WI Stat § 26.05 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.05 - Timber theft.

26.05  Timber theft. (1) Definition. In this section, “raw forest products" means forest products not altered by a manufacturing process off the land from which they are taken and includes seedlings, saplings, shrubs, whole-tree chips, boughs, logs, pilings, posts, poles, cordwood products, pulpwood, fuel wood and Christmas trees. (2)  Consent of owner required. No person may cut, remove or transport raw forest products or direct the cutting, removal or transportation of raw forest products without the consent of the owner. (3)  Penalties. (a) A person who violates this section or a rule promulgated under this section is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $10,000.(b) Instead of the forfeiture provided under par. (a), a person who intentionally violates this section, or a rule promulgated under this section, may be punished under s. 943.20 for theft.(c) In addition to any other penalty, a person who violates this section, or a rule promulgated under this section, is liable for the reasonable costs incurred to establish the volume and value of the raw forest products cut, removed or transported.History:  1981 c. 67; 1999 a. 190.
WI Stat § 26.06 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.06 - Enforcement, seizure and sale of materials.

26.06  Enforcement, seizure and sale of materials. (1) Foresters, forest supervisors, rangers and wardens of the department and the cruisers and foresters of the board of commissioners of public lands have the enforcement powers specified in s. 26.97 with respect to, and may seize, without process, any forest products unlawfully severed from public lands of the state, federal lands leased to the state, county forest lands entered under s. 28.11, forest croplands entered under subch. I of ch. 77 or managed forest land designated under subch. VI of ch. 77. Seized products cut from lands under the control of the board of commissioners of public lands shall be held for the commissioners and those cut from forest croplands, managed forest land or county forest shall be held for the owner, and subject to the payment of severance share thereon to the state. Products cut from state forest lands or federal lands leased to the department shall be appraised and sold. Products appraised at more than $500 shall be sold on sealed bids not less than 10 days after a class 1 notice has been published, under ch. 985, in the county where the material is located. Any sheriff may seize and hold for the owner thereof any forest products unlawfully severed or removed. (2) Any person who, without the consent of a person legally able to give consent, removes any seized products or removes or defaces a seizure notice of the department or of any sheriff shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $10,000. (3) Any person who transports, receives or conceals any forest products, knowing the same to have been unlawfully severed from the lands of another, shall be liable to the owner for double the value thereof and in addition shall be punished as provided in s. 943.34 (1).History:  1971 c. 265; 1975 c. 365; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 266 s. 5; 1989 a. 79; 1999 a. 190; 2015 a. 358.
WI Stat § 26.07 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.07 - Money, how disposed of.

26.07  Money, how disposed of. All money received from the sale of logs, lumber, shingles, timber, minerals or other articles seized under this chapter, or recovered in legal proceedings for damages done the public lands, shall be paid into the treasury to the credit of the respective funds to which the lands belong on which such trespasses were committed, and all other money collected as expenses, fees, penalties and damages for trespass on such lands shall be paid into the general fund.
WI Stat § 26.08 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.08 - Leases and licenses.

26.08  Leases and licenses. (1) The department may, from time to time, lease parts or parcels of state park lands or state forest lands. These leases shall contain proper covenants to guard against trespass and waste. The rents arising from these leases shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the proper fund. Licenses also may be granted to prospect for ore or mineral upon any of these lands; but proper security shall be taken that the licensees will fully inform the department of every discovery of ore or mineral and will restore the surface to its former condition and value if no discovery of valuable deposits is made. The department shall retain a copy of each lease or license and file the original in the office of the board of commissioners of public lands. (2) (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (e), the department may lease state park land or state forest land for terms not exceeding 15 years.(b) The department may lease Rib Mountain state park lands and Willow River state park lands for terms not exceeding 30 years.(bn) The department may lease state park land located within the boundaries of the Wisconsin Dells natural area for terms not exceeding 30 years.(c) The department may lease Kettle Moraine state forest land for the YMCA Camp Matawa for a term not exceeding 30 years.(d) The department may lease Northern Highland American Legion State Forest land on Statehouse Lake in the town of Manitowish Waters for the North Lakeland Discovery Center for a term not exceeding 30 years.(e) The department may lease state forest land located in the town of Boulder Junction to the Boulder Junction Shooting Range for terms not exceeding 30 years.  (3) The department shall furnish to the board of commissioners of public lands such maps, plats, surveys, valuations, information and other services as the board may request respecting any of the public lands, for use by it in granting leases or licenses or in making sales under s. 24.39.History:  1979 c. 34; 1987 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2013 a. 82.
WI Stat § 26.10 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.10 - Reports by the department to the board of commissioners of public lands.

26.10  Reports by the department to the board of commissioners of public lands. The department shall report monthly to the board of commissioners of public lands all trespasses committed, all materials seized, all sales made and all moneys received under ss. 26.01 to 26.09.
WI Stat § 26.105 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.105 - Forestry and fire prevention study.

26.105  Forestry and fire prevention study. The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin County Forests Association shall prepare a report containing the results of the forestry and fire prevention study conducted as approved by the joint committee on finance under s. 26.105 (2), 2013 stats., and shall submit the report to the department, the council on forestry, and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).History:  2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55.
WI Stat § 26.11 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.11 - Forest fires; department jurisdiction; procedure.

26.11  Forest fires; department jurisdiction; procedure. (1) The department is vested with power, authority, and jurisdiction in all matters relating to the prevention, detection, and suppression of forest fires outside the limits of villages and cities in the state except as provided in s. 26.01 (2), and to do all things necessary in the exercise of such power, authority, and jurisdiction. (3) The department shall direct and give suitable instructions to and obtain reports as directed from, the entire fire warden force of the state whether in officially established forest protection areas or elsewhere, and it may move about or concentrate the fire warden force as occasion demands. (4) The department may enter into arrangements or agreements and cooperate with town boards, county boards or committees thereof, with individuals, concerns, corporations or associations, for the purpose of improving the protection against forest fires. (5) The department may, upon request from the fire chief of a city or village, or the chief executive thereof, supply assistance within the limits of its resources in suppressing a forest fire within the confines of said municipality. (6) The department, as the director of the effort, may suppress a forest fire on lands located outside the boundaries of intensive or extensive forest fire protection districts but not within the limits of any city or village if the town responsible for suppressing fires within its boundaries spends more than $3,000, as determined by rates established by the department, on suppressing the forest fire and if the town chairperson makes a request to the department for assistance. Persons participating in the suppression efforts shall act at the direction of the department after the department begins suppression efforts under this subsection. Funds expended by the state under this subsection shall be expended from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (2) (mv). (7) (a) Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (c), if the sum of the unencumbered balances in the appropriation accounts under s. 20.370 (2) (cs) and (mz) exceeds $1,000,000 on June 30 of any fiscal year, the amount in excess of $1,000,000 shall lapse from the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (2) (cs) to the conservation fund, except as provided in par. (b).(b) Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (c), if the amount in the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (2) (cs) is insufficient for the amount that must lapse under par. (a), the remainder that is necessary for the lapse shall lapse from the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (2) (mz).History:  1977 c. 224; 1983 a. 422; 1989 a. 56 s. 258; 1995 a. 27; 2001 a. 16, 103; 2003 a. 33; 2017 a. 59.A stipulation of facts stating that there was a “large grass fire" did not necessarily mean there was a forest fire as defined in s. 26.11 (2) [now s. 26.01 (2)]. Town of Howard v. Soo Line Railroad Co. 63 Wis. 2d 500, 217 N.W.2d 329 (1974).
WI Stat § 26.13 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.13 - Town fire wardens; duties, expenses.

26.13  Town fire wardens; duties, expenses. (1) The chairperson of the town board of each town outside the limits of a forest protection area shall, by virtue of the office and the oath of the office, be town fire warden for the town. The fire warden shall assist and cooperate with the department in all matters relating to the prevention, detection and suppression of forest fires. If a town is unusually large or if special or peculiar conditions in connection with forest fires exist, the department may, upon recommendation of the town chairperson, annually appoint emergency fire wardens as necessary, whose duties and authority shall be the same as provided for emergency fire wardens serving in forest protection areas. (2) All expenses arising from the prevention or suppression of forest fires by the town fire warden and by those called upon by the warden to assist in the work shall be borne by the town in which the expense was incurred. The town board may levy and assess a tax for defraying the expense. In addition the town board may levy a tax for the purchase of equipment for the suppression of forest fires. The taxes shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes, and when collected shall be paid into the town treasury from which the expense is paid. (3) Whenever the town board of any town located outside of a forest protection area deems it imprudent to set fires upon any land within the town, they shall post or cause to be posted in 5 or more public places in each township in the town, notices which shall be prepared by the department, or place one such notice in the official county paper, forbidding the setting of fires in the township, and after the posting of the notices no person may set any fire upon any land in the town except for warming the person or cooking food, until written permission has been received from one of the fire wardens of the town.History:  1977 c. 224; 1989 a. 56.
WI Stat § 26.145 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.145 - Fire suppression aids.

26.145  Fire suppression aids. (1) Grants. The department shall establish a program to award grants for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquiring fire resistant clothing for suppressing fires, of acquiring fire suppression supplies, equipment, and vehicles, of acquiring fire prevention materials, and of training fire fighters in forest fire suppression techniques. (2)  Eligibility. (a) Cities, villages, towns, counties and fire suppression organizations shall be eligible for grants under this section.(b) The department may not award a grant under this section unless the recipient of the grant enters into a written agreement with the department under which the recipient agrees to assist the department in the suppression of forest fires at the department's request. (3)  Rules. The department shall promulgate rules establishing criteria and procedures for awarding grants under this section. For purposes of this section, the rules shall include a definition of “fire suppression organizations".History:  1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 109.
WI Stat § 26.15 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.15 - Responsibility of wardens and citizens.

26.15  Responsibility of wardens and citizens. Any fire warden who refuses to carry out this chapter, or any able-bodied citizen who refuses to render assistance as provided by this chapter, shall forfeit not more than $50.History:  1975 c. 365.
WI Stat § 26.18 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.18 - District attorneys to prosecute.

26.18  District attorneys to prosecute. Whenever an arrest has been made for any violation of this chapter, or whenever any information of such violation has been lodged with him or her, the district attorney of the county in which the act was committed may prosecute the offender.History:  1975 c. 365.
WI Stat § 26.19 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.19 - Destruction of forest protection equipment or notices.

26.19  Destruction of forest protection equipment or notices. (1) Any person who destroys, defaces, removes or molests any forest protection equipment or property shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than 9 months or both. (2) Any person who disfigures any forest fire sign, poster or warning notice shall forfeit not more than $100.History:  1975 c. 365; 1983 a. 422.
WI Stat § 26.205 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.205 - Tractors, spark arresters.

26.205  Tractors, spark arresters. Tractors operating in a forest protection area or on other land where there is danger of setting fire, shall be equipped so that the tractors will not set fire on the lands and to reduce to a minimum the danger of setting fire. The department or its locomotive inspector is authorized and directed to reject from service all tractors not properly equipped to prevent the setting of fires. The department shall, after investigation, prescribe suitable fire preventive devices for tractors operating in marsh land or on other land where there is danger of fire being set by their operation.History:  1977 c. 224.
WI Stat § 26.21 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.21 - Civil liability for forest fires.

26.21  Civil liability for forest fires. (1) In addition to the penalties provided in s. 26.20, the United States, the state, the county or private owners, whose property is injured or destroyed by forest fires, may recover, in a civil action, double the amount of damages suffered, if the fires occurred through willfulness, malice or negligence. In a civil action, a court may award reasonable costs for legal representation to provide owners recovering damages under this subsection. (2) Persons causing fires in violation of this chapter shall be liable to the state in an action for debt, to the full amount of all damages done to the state lands and for all expenses incurred by the towns fighting forest fires and shall be liable to municipalities in an action for debt, to the full amount of all damages to the municipal lands and for all expenses incurred by the municipalities fighting such fires.History:  1977 c. 29.This statute does not create liability in favor of a town. Town of Howard v. Soo Line Railroad Co. 63 Wis. 2d 500, 217 N.W.2d 329 (1974).Sub. (1) is not limited to a specific class of tortfeasor, such as a railroad corporation, and a violation under s. 26.20 is not a prerequisite for applying sub. (1). The plain language of sub. (1) does not require “gross negligence." Heritage Farms, Inc. v. Markel Insurance Company, 2009 WI 27, 316 Wis. 2d 47, 762 N.W.2d 652, 07-0983.If it is determined that the owner's property was injured or destroyed by a forest fire that occurred through willfulness, malice, or negligence, the property owner is entitled to double damages as a matter of course. The use of “may" in sub. (1) does not authorize the recovery of double damages within the court's discretion. Rather, the use of “may recover" indicates that a property owner, whose property is injured or destroyed by a forest fire, “may" choose to bring a civil action against the tortfeasor to recover double damages. Heritage Farms, Inc. v. Markel Insurance Company, 2012 WI 26, 339 Wis. 2d 125, 810 N.W.2d 465, 10-0355.
WI Stat § 26.22 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.22 - Sales, etc.

26.22  Sales, etc. The department may sell any timber on land under the department's jurisdiction which has been damaged by fire, snow, hail, ice, insects, disease, or wind, on such terms and in such manner as the department determines is in the best interest of the state.History:  2003 a. 242.
WI Stat § 26.35 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.35 - Forest productivity.

26.35  Forest productivity. The department shall identify types of privately owned forest lands which are most likely to provide high forest productivity benefits to the economy of the state. The department shall target its activities in providing assistance to owners of privately owned forest lands in order to concentrate on those types of forest lands identified as most likely to provide high forest productivity benefits to the economy of the state.History:  1983 a. 27.
WI Stat § 26.36 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.36 - Forest energy resources.

26.36  Forest energy resources. Biennially, in consultation with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and any other appropriate agency, the department shall prepare a report regarding the extent of forest lands in this state and the potential of such lands to provide fuel for use in electric generating facilities, industrial facilities and home heating systems. The report shall evaluate progress made in meeting the afforestation goal under s. 1.12 (3) (c). The department shall submit the report before April 1 of each even-numbered year to the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).History:  1993 a. 414.NOTE:  1993 Wis. Act 414, which creates this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.
WI Stat § 26.37 (2021)
2021 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations|Chapter 26 - Protection of forest lands and forest productivity.|26.37 - Lake states wood utilization consortium.

26.37  Lake states wood utilization consortium. (1) The department of natural resources shall develop a plan to establish a lake states wood utilization consortium to provide research, development, and demonstration grants to enhance the forest products industry in Wisconsin and other states. The plan shall do all of the following:(a) Define the powers, duties and responsibilities of the consortium.(b) Establish an implementation committee for the consortium. Members of the committee may include one or more representatives from the department of natural resources, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the forest products industry. (c) Specify eligibility requirements for the grants and criteria for awarding the grants, including how the grants are to be distributed to each state participating in the consortium.(d) Require that the grants require matching funds or in-kind contributions by industrial recipients of the grants.(e) Require the implementation committee to identify an organization that can administer and award the grants and oversee the grant program.(f) Require the consortium to actively pursue funding from the states of Michigan and Minnesota of $200,000 annually from each state for 3 years.(g) Require the consortium to actively pursue federal and other funding sources. (2) The department of natural resources may not expend moneys from the appropriations under s. 20.370 (5) (ax) or (6) (bt), 1997 stats., unless the department of natural resources and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation first submit to the joint committee on finance the plan required under sub. (1). If the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the department of natural resources within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the plan that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the plan, the plan may be implemented and moneys may be expended as proposed by the department of natural resources. If, within 14 days after the date of the submittal of the plan, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department of natural resources that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the plan, moneys may be expended only after the plan has been approved by the committee. History:  1995 a. 27 ss. 1430m, 9116 (5); 1999 a. 185; 2011 a. 32.