Legal Situation

Christmas decorations from the forest: when penalties apply

Simply grabbing pine branches, a Christmas tree, and the like from the forest without consulting the owner is not a good idea.(Bild: gpointstudio - stock.adobe.com)

Driving into the forest and simply cutting down a Christmas tree for your home yourself—that can’t be a problem, right? You’re mistaken, because that’s not allowed. What penalties you face and how the situation stands even for individual branches—we have the answers for you!

The misconception that the forest belongs to everyone and that collecting scattered wood scraps, small branches, and the like is therefore automatically permitted is, unfortunately, still widespread. However: “That is incorrect,” says Viennese attorney Bernhard Hofer: “It is absolutely prohibited.”