LEOMINSTER - The owner of a Leominster plastics company has agreed to pay $10,000 in restitution after being charged with cutting trees on Wachusett Mountain State Reservation land in Princeton to create an improved view for his home.

Paul R. Boudreau, 54, of 169 Mountain Road, Princeton, was charged in April with wanton destruction of property valued over $250, timber destruction, motor vehicle trespass, unlawful removal of stone walls and destruction of boundary marking.

Mr. Boudreau is the chief executive officer of UrthPact Co. in Leominster, a plastics company that develops green solutions for plastics manufacturing.

Mr. Boudreau was arrested after an investigation by state Environmental Police and officials from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation into illegal tree cutting on Wachusett Mountain State Reservation land.

The tree cutting occurred prior to Feb. 25 on land adjacent to Mr. Boudreau's 4,298-square-foot home on the west side of Mountain Road. The Princeton assessor's office lists the Boudreau property, valued at $704,000, under the name of Diane L. Boudreau.

The case was investigated by Officer Jason Dejackome and Lt. Anthony Wolski of the state Environmental Police. In a report filed with court documents, Officer Dejackome said 114 trees were cut on state property during the past two years, and a stone wall was damaged. The damage created a 7-foot entryway to allow illegally cut trees to be hauled by tractor onto the Boudreau property. The cutting created a panoramic view of Mount Wachusett from Mr. Boudreau's property.

The cutting first came to the attention of state officials when one of Mr. Boudreau's neighbors notified the DCR that many trees on his and state property, including large oaks, had been illegally cut by Mr. Boudreau and people working for him. Of the trees cut on state property, 57 had been cut for cordwood or stacked on Mr. Boudreau's property. The neighbor said he found 12 stumps on his property from trees he believes were cut by Mr. Boudreau. He said one tree was 42 inches in diameter. Investigators also found evidence that stumps had been removed below ground level. Prior to the state getting involved, the neighbor had sent a letter to Mr. Boudreau asking him to stop cutting on his property. The state issued a cease-and-desist order March 4 ordering all cutting to stop.

When confronted, Mr. Boudreau said he cut trees damaged by the 2008 ice storm because he was fearful for his personal safety. He said the cutting took place six to eight years before and he was not aware the land was owned by the state. According to the neighbor, Mr. Boudreau told him he decided to cut what he saw as dangerous trees after a branch fell and almost hit his dog while walking in the woods. State foresters investigating the cutting estimated the trees were removed within the past two years.

Mr. Boudreau was arraigned on the charges in June in Leominster District Court. On Oct. 27, Judge Mark E. Noonan continued the case without a finding for three months with an agreement that Mr. Boudreau pay $10,000 in restitution and have the stone wall and boundary marker restored to their original condition.