Not all fruits of labour are meant to be shared. Specifically, you can’t pluck fruits from National Parks Board (NParks)‘ trees i.e. public trees.
If they’ve fallen to the ground, you can’t pick them and keep them either. Either you get permission to do so, or risk a fine of up to $5,000 under the Parks and Trees Act.
This was clarified by Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Monday (7 Oct), according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
He made the statement after an MP asked who the fruits of public trees belong to.
CNA reported that Mr Wong said trees, including their fruits, are located on land that belongs to the state. Trees on state land are managed by NParks.
He was quoted as saying,
Members of the public who wish to pluck fruit from trees, or collect fruit that has dropped from trees on state land should approach NParks for permission.
If you’ve been doing this for a while now, you better take note.
The punishment is even more severe if you pluck a fruit from a tree in a nature reserve or national park like Botanic Gardens.
Such thefts can land you with fines of up to $50,000 and possibly a jail term.
The section of the act reads:
No person shall carry out any activity within any national park or nature reserve which he knows or ought reasonably to know causes or may cause alteration, damage or destruction to any property, tree or plant within the national park or nature reserve.
We’re assuming that by plucking a fruit, we are altering the plant.
Imagine going into prison just because you decided to put a fallen fruit into your bag. That’s not something you’d want on your record.
Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal.
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