Washington, DC's famous cherry blossoms start to flower, so that the city brightens up while they send swarms of admiring tourists to Capitol Hill.
But visitors to the picturesque tidal basin where the flowers will soon be at their peak may not know that one simple action could bring you to prison for a whole year.
Picking the precious flowers or climbing the tree branches are a violation under the federal law.
Different articles of association and regulations state that it is illegal to deliberately destroy, cut, break, injure it, to be injured or removed in a National Military Park or Land of the US.
A perpetrator can 'be locked up for less than 15 days or more than a year, and a fine of at least $ 10 for each' monument, statue, marker, guidepost or other structure, tree, shrub or plant that is destroyed, illegible, injured, cut or removed, or both '.
Spokesperson for the National Park Service Mike Westst insisted on not messing around with the foliage.
'Don't touch the blossoms. Don't break branches. Don't climb on the trees, “Westst told Fox News Digital.
Litterst added that although hard fines can be imposed, national staff of the park service usually tries to teach people.
Washington, the cherry blossoms of DC are starting to flower, so that the city brightens up while they send swarms of admiring tourists to Capitol Hill
Spokesperson for the National Park Service Mike Lestst insisted on tourists not to mess with the foliage
“There are certainly violations in the code and the federal regulations about the use of natural resources,” he said.
'But when we see people [doing that]We tend to use that as an educational moment, no chance to throw the book at them. '
The cherry blossoms flourished early in Washington and New York last year, with the flowers in mid -March.
Experts warned that this early florescence worldwide was a symptom of warming up temperatures.
The famous cherry blossoms in the capital of the country experienced their earliest peak blooms in 20 years on March 17 – those unions for their second easiest peak bloom ever.
This means that 70 percent of Yoshino cherry trees along the National Mall and the tidal basin have opened their flowers.
It came on the heels of one of the hottest recorded winters in Washington, with temperatures that rise to 80 degrees at the end of January, the earliest event ever.
Picking the precious flowers or climbing the tree branches are a crime under the federal law
The record for the earliest peak bloom in history was reported on March 15, 1990. Data from the National Park Service shows that the trees have been bothered by Japan earlier and earlier since they were donated by Japan in 1912.
In 2021 the trees reached their peak on 28 March, the same year Kyoto registered his earliest flowering in more than 1200 years.
Winter is the fastest warming season in the capital of the country, according to Climate Central. An analysis of the non -profit organization showed that DC has added to the growing season for 20 days since 1970.
Data from the National Weer Services shows that the average spring temperature in DC has risen by 3.6 degrees from 1970 to 2023.
