Is Carving Your Name Into A Tree Illegal? Here’s What We Found Out

Do you know if it's illegal to carve your name into a tree?  Many couples do this to solidify their love in movies and stories but can you be arrested for it?

Angel here and Sunday I took the kids and dogs on a hike at Yellow Creek Park.  As we round the turn to finish out the trails I noticed a very large tree towards the end.  It was carved tons of Lover's names and people who had visited over the years.  It was super cool to see but I thought to myself I wonder if it's something that is allowed or did people just pick that particular tree to mark up.

Tree carving actually has a scientific name...WHO KNEW?!

According to Wikipedia;

Arborglyphs, dendroglyphs, silvaglyphs, or modified cultural trees are the carving of shapes and symbols into the bark of living trees. Carving names and initials into trees is a common practice among lovers; the carvings can last for decades, as a symbol of the permanence of the couple's love.  

From what I have gathered tree carving is illegal in National Forests and different states.  I literally cannot find any true information saying you'll go to jail.  However, many sites suggest carving into a tree can disrupt the growth process of a tree and injure it.

According to Leave No Trace.org;

Depending on how deep the cut is, it may disrupt the cells below the bark, phloem, and xylem, which are responsible for transporting water, sugar, and other nutrients throughout the tree. In extreme cases, carving or other bark damage can cause the tree to starve to death due to this cellular disruption. 

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Not all carvings can hurt trees.  They leave bruises and bumps that eventually heal over time depending on how deep the cut is.

Check out the carved tree at Yellow Creek Park