ATTN: Central Wisconsin scroungers ...

[Pat53]

Gents, I had to bring my Mom to Mayo Clinic in Rochestr MN yesterday. While driving west accross Hwy 21 from Oshkosh there are miles and miles of oak blowdowns along the highway. There are literally thousands of trees down or snapped off, many right along the roadside. The property looks to be state land, I did not see a single private property/posted sign anywhere. I have no idea what Wisconsin state law is regarding firewood gathering on state lands, but if permits can be acquired there is tons of wood to be taken.

Pat

 

[quads]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

 

[Pat53]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

Thats strange, up here only private land is marked, state land is not marked at all. In any event, if I lived in that area, and that was in fact private land, I would certainly try to get permission to clean up some of the wood, no harm in asking. The amount of downed trees is staggering. Must have been a tornado or some heavy straightline winds that cut accross a good portion of the state going west to east. The downed trees went for a good 10-20 miles.

Pat

 

[zeke]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

Thats strange, up here only private land is marked, state land is not marked at all. In any event, if I lived in that area, and that was in fact private land, I would certainly try to get permission to clean up some of the wood, no harm in asking. The amount of downed trees is staggering. Must have been a tornado or some heavy straightline winds that cut accross a good portion of the state going west to east. The downed trees went for a good 10-20 miles.

Pat

Tornado went thru Wautoma in march. I now live 200 miles due north of there. Went back 2 weeks ago and there is still tons of oak down...

 

[quads]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

Thats strange, up here only private land is marked, state land is not marked at all. In any event, if I lived in that area, and that was in fact private land, I would certainly try to get permission to clean up some of the wood, no harm in asking. The amount of downed trees is staggering. Must have been a tornado or some heavy straightline winds that cut accross a good portion of the state going west to east. The downed trees went for a good 10-20 miles.

Pat

Ya, around here the state/government land is usually marked. Private land does not have to be marked at all. The assumption is that if you don't know who owns the land - you are trespassing even though there may not be signs.

There was both a tornado and high straight-line winds at different times throughout last year. More than one tornado, actually! That area got hit hard.

 

[Pat53]

I guess to me the funny thing, regardless of who's land it is, is that no one seems to be the least bit interested in cleaning it up. If the land is privately ownded, why not sell the downed teess to whoever may be interested. The wood is surely good yet and I'm sure there would be plenty of people who would buy it if the price was right. It will be a tremendous waste if it just sits there and eventually rots. If I lived in that area I would be calling lots of landowners asking permission to the wood. Strange.

 

[ScotO]

Find out who owns it fer sure and ASK........chances are they would let you take the wood, heck yer doing them a favor by cleanin up.....

 

[quads]

I guess to me the funny thing, regardless of who's land it is, is that no one seems to be the least bit interested in cleaning it up. If the land is privately ownded, why not sell the downed teess to whoever may be interested. The wood is surely good yet and I'm sure there would be plenty of people who would buy it if the price was right. It will be a tremendous waste if it just sits there and eventually rots. If I lived in that area I would be calling lots of landowners asking permission to the wood. Strange.

That's pretty much what will happen, those trees will lay there and eventually rot into the ground. Firewood isn't worth much around here and dead trees really aren't worth anything for pulp or lumber. There are so many dead trees from oak wilt, storm damage, etc. that everybody who burns wood generally has their own personal supply and are not interested in the ones laying along the highways. Our whole world around here is forest! Most of what falls in the forest doesn't get cleaned up and becomes food for the next generation of trees.

 

[Pat53]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

Thats strange, up here only private land is marked, state land is not marked at all. In any event, if I lived in that area, and that was in fact private land, I would certainly try to get permission to clean up some of the wood, no harm in asking. The amount of downed trees is staggering. Must have been a tornado or some heavy straightline winds that cut accross a good portion of the state going west to east. The downed trees went for a good 10-20 miles.

Pat

Tornado went thru Wautoma in march. I now live 200 miles due north of there. Went back 2 weeks ago and there is still tons of oak down...

Zeke, do you know if most of the land along Hwy 21 is private or public land?. There were lots of trees down right near homes and farms, but there were stretches of highway that went for miles that had no homes along the road, and yes, literally TONS of oak laying everywhere.

Pat

 

[quads]

It's probably not state land. State land is clearly marked with signposts. It is most likely all privately owned. I live about 20 miles from the Hwy 21 and 13 intersection. I know the area well. The right of way itself is state property, but anything that blows down on the right of way is quickly cleaned up. If there are trees laying beyond the right of way, those belong to the landowner.

Thats strange, up here only private land is marked, state land is not marked at all. In any event, if I lived in that area, and that was in fact private land, I would certainly try to get permission to clean up some of the wood, no harm in asking. The amount of downed trees is staggering. Must have been a tornado or some heavy straightline winds that cut accross a good portion of the state going west to east. The downed trees went for a good 10-20 miles.

Pat

Tornado went thru Wautoma in march. I now live 200 miles due north of there. Went back 2 weeks ago and there is still tons of oak down...

Zeke, do you know if most of the land along Hwy 21 is private or public land?. There were lots of trees down right near homes and farms, but there were stretches of highway that went for miles that had no homes along the road, and yes, literally TONS of oak laying everywhere.

Pat

I've been looking through my plat book of Adams County and along Hwy 21 across the whole county is no public land at all. All privately owned except for a few small tracts which belong to Nekoosa Paper Company. Not sure about Waushara County (Wautoma), but I assume it's also mostly privately owned.

But, if someone is interested in cutting wood along there, the county courthouses have information as to who owns the land. Wouldn't hurt to find out and knock on some doors or write some letters. Many people wouldn't care as long as they are asked first.

 

[RWTschoeke]

2011 presented east-central Wisconsin with three serious blow down wind storms, the most significant of which was Labor Day weekend (Friday a.m.-pulled off Hwy. 10 underpass with car rocking like never before) when straight line winds in excess of 80 m.p.h. snapped and uprooted many trees. I imagine what you witnessed along Hwy. 21 were remnants of that storm; I have seen 100 year old oaks uprooted; huge pines snapped like toothpicks and much more debris in a 30 mile wide path from west of Wautoma into the Fox Cities.

Fortunately the 100+ acres of MFL land I own in southern Waupaca county was spared major damage; a few snapped pines, a stand of ash bent sideways and some of the oak wilted trees took a hit. I am planning on having a logger thin portions of my stands sometime this year, but there is still plenty of wood down or leaning which I imagine will keep me and my family busy and warm for many years. If there are local scroungers willing to assist with clean up and/or have the equipment to clear some of the downed trees, perhaps we can work together and take care of many cords of firewood.

If interested, let me know a little about yourself and what you are willing to assist with.

Bob

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