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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74163</law_id><section_number>10.1-1163</section_number><catch_line>Exemptions from article</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-1126.1</reference><reference>10.1-1164</reference><reference>10.1-1169</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:34</reference><reference>62.1-44.15:55</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Activities Administered by Other Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="11">Forest Resources and the Department of Forestry</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="9">Seed Trees</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> This article shall not apply to any acre of land on which there are present at the time of final cutting of the timber 400 or more loblolly or white pine seedlings, singly or together, four feet or more in height. <a id="paragraph-266695" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1163/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> This article shall not apply to any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who clears or who procures another to clear his land for bona fide agricultural or improved pasture purposes or for the purpose of subdividing such land for sale for building sites. For the purpose of this article, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> of bona fide agricultural or improved pasture use shall require, as a minimum and within twelve months from the date of completion of commercial cutting, that the land intended for such use be cleared of all <span class="dictionary">trees</span>, snags, brush, <span class="dictionary">tree</span> tops, and debris by piling and burning or otherwise disposing of same, or by enclosing the area with a well-constructed fence and planting grass seed thereon so as to make a bona fide improved pasture. In the case of clearing for building sites <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> shall be the construction of dwellings or other bona fide structure in progress or completed within two years from the date of completion of commercial cutting. <a id="paragraph-266696" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1163/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> This article shall not apply to land which has been zoned for a more intensive land use than agricultural or forestal use. <a id="paragraph-266697" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1163/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The provisions of this article shall not apply to any acre or acres of forest land for which a planting, cutting or management plan has been prepared, designed to provide conservation of natural resources, and which plan has been submitted to and approved by the State Forester previous to the cutting of any <span class="dictionary">trees</span> on the acre or acres concerned. If such plan has been submitted to the State Forester by registered or certified mail and he has not approved the plan, or disapproved it with a statement in writing of his reasons therefor, within a period of sixty days from the date of submission, the plan shall be deemed approved and shall be effective for the purposes of this section. <a id="paragraph-266698" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1163/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The State Forester may grant exemptions from this article to individual landowners who wish to grow hardwoods on their property. The State Forester may place conditions on the exemption as he deems advisable for the conservation of natural resources. <a id="paragraph-266699" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1163/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 10-81, 10-82, 10-83; 1950, p. 58; 1952, c. 412; 1956, c. 75; 1960, c. 244; 1988, c. 891; 1996, c. 285; 1997, c. 146.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
