What it means when you see purple paint on a tree

Finding a purple stripe painted on a tree in Maine isn’t just a local quirk—it’s a signal tied to access rules. The practice of using purple paint to mark areas where entry is limited to people who already have permission has expanded in recent years. Maine’s “purple paint law” took effect in 2011, replacing silver paint as the standard. According to Mark Latti of the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, a vertical OSHA safety purple stripe at least one inch wide and eight inches long translates to “access by permission only.” The paint can also appear on posts and stones, with specific spacing requirements for signs.