Sec. 17-35. Preservation of natural resources and public buildings and property.

(a) Care of natural resources and public property. The possession, destruction, injury, defacement, removal or disturbance in any manner of any building, sign, equipment, monument, statue, marker or other structure, or of any animal or plant matter and direct or indirect products thereof, including, but not limited to, wood, bulb or annual flowers, egg, nest or nesting site, or of any soil, rock, fossil, mineral formation, phenomenon of crystallization, artifact, relic, historic or prehistoric feature, or of any other public property of any kind, is prohibited, except as otherwise provided in this section or by special permit. A person shall not dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas, or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area.

(b) Collection of natural products. Gathering or collecting for personal use of reasonable quantities of natural products of a renewable nature, including, but not limited to perennial and wild flowers including buttercups, daisies and violets, shells, fruits, berries, driftwood and marine deposits of natural origin, is permitted; provided, however, that gathering or collecting the Yorktown onion shall be prohibited. The gathering or collecting of such products for the purpose of sale is prohibited. In addition, the gathering or collecting of small quantities of pebbles or small rocks by hand for personal use is permitted. The collection of such objects for the purpose of sale is prohibited.

(c) Scientific specimens. Unless specifically permitted by other regulations in this chapter, or in special regulations, the collection of plants, rocks, minerals, animal life or other natural objects is permitted only in accordance with written permits obtained in advance from the appropriate governing official. No permits will be issued to individuals or associations to collect specimens for personal use, but only to persons officially representing reputable scientific or educational institutions in procuring specimens for research group study or museum display.

(d) Firewood cutting. The appropriate governing official may issue a permit authorizing patrons to cut and remove firewood from public areas, provided that the appropriate governing official deems such wood cutting to be beneficial for the development and improvement of public areas, and further provided that following conditions are met by participants of a firewood cutting program;

(1) Participants shall secure a permit from the appropriate governing official prior to obtaining firewood;

(2) Specific rules and regulations governing the safe and organized administration of this program shall be set by the appropriate governing official in writing as a permit condition;

(3) All fire wood shall be for personal use and not for resale;

(4) Participants shall sign a liability release form as approved by the appropriate governing authority prior to obtaining firewood.

(e) Metal-detecting devices. The possession or use of any mineral or metal-detecting device is prohibited in any county park; provided, that possession of such a device within a motor vehicle is permited if the device is broken down or packed in such a way as to prevent its use while in the public areas. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) Fathometers, radar equipment and electronic equipment used primarily for navigation and safe operation of boats and aircraft; and

(2) Mineral or metal-detecting devices used in pursuit of authorized activities under permit issued by the appropriate governing official.