§ 261.2 Definitions.

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Title 36 CFR: Parks, Forests, and Public Property › Chapter II: FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Part 261: PROHIBITIONS › Subpart A: General Prohibitions › § 261.2: § 261.2 Definitions.

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

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The following definitions apply to this part:

Administrative unit.

A National Forest, a National Grassland, a purchase unit, a land utilization project, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Land Between the Lakes, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, or other comparable unit of the National Forest System.

Alcoholic beverage

means alcoholic beverage as defined by State law.

Archaeological resource

means any material remains of prehistoric or historic human life or activities which are of archaeological interest and are at least 50 years of age, and the physical site, location, or context in which they are found.

Area.

A discrete, specifically delineated space that is smaller, and, except for over-snow vehicle use, in most cases much smaller, than a Ranger District.

Campfire

means a fire, not within any building, mobile home or living accommodation mounted on a motor vehicle, which is used for cooking, personal warmth, lighting, ceremonial, or esthetic purposes.

Fire

includes campfire.

Camping

means the temporary use of National Forest System lands for the purpose of overnight occupancy without a permanently-fixed structure.

Camping equipment

means the personal property used in or suitable for camping, and includes any vehicle used for transportation and all equipment in possession of a person camping. Food and beverage are not considered camping equipment.

Cave

means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnected passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge and which is large enough to permit a person to enter, whether the entrance is excavated or naturally formed. Such term shall include any natural pit, sinkhole, or other opening which is an extensive of a cave entrance or which is an integral part of the cave.

Cave resources

mean any materials or substances occurring in caves including, but not limited to, biotic, cultural, mineralogic, paleontologic, geologic, and hydrologic resources

erson to enter, whether the entrance is excavated or naturally formed. Such term shall include any natural pit, sinkhole, or other opening which is an extensive of a cave entrance or which is an integral part of the cave.

Cave resources

mean any materials or substances occurring in caves including, but not limited to, biotic, cultural, mineralogic, paleontologic, geologic, and hydrologic resources.

Commercial use or activity—

any use or activity on National Forest System lands (a) where an entry or participation fee is charged, or (b) where the primary purpose is the sale of a good or service, and in either case, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit.

Controlled substance

means a drug or other substance, its immediate precursor included in schedules I, II, III, IV, or V of section 202 of the Controlled Substance Act (21 U.S.C. 812), or a drug or other substance added to these schedules under the terms of the Act.

Damaging

means to injure, mutilate, deface, destroy, cut, chop, girdle, dig, excavate, kill or in any way harm or disturb.

Developed recreation site

has the same meaning as in chapter 50 of Forest Service Handbook 2309.13.

Distribution of printed material—

disseminating, posting, affixing, or erecting printed material as defined in this section.

Exploding target

means a binary explosive consisting of two separate components (usually an oxidizer like ammonium nitrate and a fuel such as aluminum or another metal) that is designed to explode when struck by a bullet.

Firework

has the same meaning as in 27 CFR 555.11 or a successor regulation.

Forest officer

means an employee of the Forest Service.

Forest road or trail.

A road or trail wholly or partly within or adjacent to and serving the National Forest System that the Forest Service determines is necessary for the protection, administration, and utilization of the National Forest System and the use and development of its resources

eaning as in 27 CFR 555.11 or a successor regulation.

Forest officer

means an employee of the Forest Service.

Forest road or trail.

A road or trail wholly or partly within or adjacent to and serving the National Forest System that the Forest Service determines is necessary for the protection, administration, and utilization of the National Forest System and the use and development of its resources.

Historical resource

means any structural, architectural, archaeological, artifactual or other material remains of past human life or activities which are of historical interest and are at least 50 years of age, and the physical site, location, or context in which they are found.

Indian tribe

means any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or other community that is included on a list published by the Secretary of the Interior under section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a-1).

Motorized equipment

means any machine activated by a nonliving power source except small battery-powered handcarried devices such as flashlights, shavers, Geiger counters, and cameras.

Motor vehicle

means any vehicle which is self-propelled, other than:

(1) A vehicle operated on rails; and

(2) Any wheelchair or mobility device, including one that is battery-powered, that is designed solely for use by a mobility-impaired person for locomotion and that is suitable for use in an indoor pedestrian area.

National Forest System

includes all national forest lands and waters reserved or withdrawn from the public domain of the United States, national forest lands and waters acquired through purchase, exchange, donation, or other means, national grasslands and land utilization projects and waters administered under title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (50 Stat. 525, 7 U.S.C. 1010-1012), and other lands, waters, or interests therein acquired under the Wild and Scenic River Act (16 U.S.C. 1271-1287) or National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241-1249).

National Forest System road

chase, exchange, donation, or other means, national grasslands and land utilization projects and waters administered under title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (50 Stat. 525, 7 U.S.C. 1010-1012), and other lands, waters, or interests therein acquired under the Wild and Scenic River Act (16 U.S.C. 1271-1287) or National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241-1249).

National Forest System road.

A forest road other than a road which has been authorized by a legally documented right-of-way held by a State, county, or other local public road authority.

National Forest System trail.

A forest trail other than a trail which has been authorized by a legally documented right-of-way held by a State, county, or other local public road authority.

National Forest wilderness

means those parts of the National Forest System which were designated units of the National Wilderness Preservation System by the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, and such other areas of the National Forest System as are added to the wilderness system by act of Congress.

Operating plan

means the following documents, providing that the document has been issued or approved by the Forest Service: A plan of operations as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subparts A and D, and 36 CFR part 292, subparts C and G; a supplemental plan of operations as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart A, and 36 CFR part 292, subpart G; an operating plan as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart C, and 36 CFR part 292, subpart G; an amended operating plan and a reclamation plan as provided for in 36 CFR part 292, subpart G; a surface use plan of operations as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart E; a surface use portion of a sundry notice as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart E; a permit as provided for in 36 CFR 251.15; and an operating plan and a letter of authorization as provided for in 36 CFR part 292, subpart D.

Person

means natural person, corporation, company, partnership, trust, firm, or association of persons

e plan of operations as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart E; a surface use portion of a sundry notice as provided for in 36 CFR part 228, subpart E; a permit as provided for in 36 CFR 251.15; and an operating plan and a letter of authorization as provided for in 36 CFR part 292, subpart D.

Person

means natural person, corporation, company, partnership, trust, firm, or association of persons.

Permission

means oral authorization by a forest officer.

Permit

means authorization in writing by a forest officer.

Prehistoric resource

means any structural, architectural, archaeological, artifactual or other material remains of past human life or activity generally prior to the advent of written records and of anthropological interest, and the physical site, location, or context in which they are found.

Prescribed fire

means a planned and intentionally lit fire allowed to burn within the requirements of Federal or State laws, regulations, or permits.

Primitive areas

are those areas within the National Forest System classified as

Primitive

on the effective date of the Wilderness Act, September 3, 1964.

Printed material

—any written and/or graphic material including but not limited to pamphlets, brochures, photographs, graphics, signs, and posters.

Publicly nude

means nude in any place where a person may be observed by another person. Any person is nude if the person has failed to cover the rectal area, pubic area or genitals. A female person is also nude if she has failed to cover both breasts below a point immediately above the top of the areola. Each such covering must be fully opaque. No person under the age of 10 years shall be considered publicly nude.

Pyrotechnic device

has the same meaning as the term “articles pyrotechnic” in 27 CFR 555.11 or a successor regulation.

Recreation fee

means a standard amenity recreation fee, an expanded amenity recreation fee, or a special recreation permit fee as defined in section 802(8) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801(8))

er the age of 10 years shall be considered publicly nude.

Pyrotechnic device

has the same meaning as the term “articles pyrotechnic” in 27 CFR 555.11 or a successor regulation.

Recreation fee

means a standard amenity recreation fee, an expanded amenity recreation fee, or a special recreation permit fee as defined in section 802(8) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801(8)).

Recreation site

has the same meaning as in chapter 50 of Forest Service Handbook 2309.13.

Residence.

Any structure or shelter, whether temporary or permanent, including, but not limited to, buildings, buses, cabins, campers, houses, lean-tos, mills, mobile homes, motor homes, pole barns, recreational vehicles, sheds, shops, tents and trailers, which is being used, capable of being used, or designed to be used, in whole or in part, full or part-time, as living or sleeping quarters by any person, including a guard or watchman.

Special-use authorization

means a permit, term permit, lease or easement which allows occupancy, or use rights or privileges of National Forest System land.

State

means any State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

State law

means the law of any State in whose exterior boundaries an act or omission occurs regardless of whether State law is otherwise applicable.

Stove fire

means a campfire built inside an enclosed stove or grill, a portable brazier, or a pressurized liquid or gas stove, including a space-heating device.

Traditional and cultural purpose

means, with respect to a definable use, area, or practice, that it is identified by an Indian tribe as traditional or cultural because of its long-established significance or ceremonial nature for the Indian tribe

ire

means a campfire built inside an enclosed stove or grill, a portable brazier, or a pressurized liquid or gas stove, including a space-heating device.

Traditional and cultural purpose

means, with respect to a definable use, area, or practice, that it is identified by an Indian tribe as traditional or cultural because of its long-established significance or ceremonial nature for the Indian tribe.

Unauthorized livestock

means any cattle, sheep, goat, hog, or equine not defined as a wild free-roaming horse or burro by § 222.20(b)(13), which is not authorized by permit to be upon the land on which the livestock is located and which is not related to use authorized by a grazing permit; provided, that noncommercial pack and saddle stock used by recreationists, travelers, other Forest visitors for occasional trips, as well as livestock to be trailed over an established driveway when there is no overnight stop on Forest Service administered land do not fall under this definition.

Vehicle

means any device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported, including any frame, chassis, or body of any motor vehicle, except devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

Volunteer or hosted enrollee

means any person, not a Forest Service employee, officially participating in a Forest Service human resource program as authorized by an act of Congress and identified to accomplish one or more of the following objectives: provide skills training; education; useful work; develop understanding of ecological systems and conservation of natural resources; build cultural and communication bridges between various socioeconomic groups; and further the administration, development, and management of National Forest resources, forest research, and State and Private Forest activities

h one or more of the following objectives: provide skills training; education; useful work; develop understanding of ecological systems and conservation of natural resources; build cultural and communication bridges between various socioeconomic groups; and further the administration, development, and management of National Forest resources, forest research, and State and Private Forest activities.

Wild free-roaming horses and burros

mean all unbranded and unclaimed horses and burros and their progeny that have used lands of the National Forest System on or after December 15, 1971, or do hereafter use these lands as all or part of their habitat, but does not include any horse or burro introduced onto National Forest System lands on or after December 15, 1971, by accident, negligence, or willful disregard of private ownership. Unbranded, claimed horses and burros, where the claim is found to be erroneous, are also considered as wild and free-roaming if they meet the criteria above.

[42 FR 2957, Jan. 14, 1977]

Editorial Note:

For

Federal Register

citations affecting § 261.2, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at

www.govinfo.gov.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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