It doesn't pay to ask.

[Flavo]

I'm kinda bummed. The majority of the land around me is state owned. In my town I know it 60% state owned anyway. I just got off the phone w/ guy in charge of our local-ish forestry dept and he told me no wood is allowed to be collected off of state land w/out a permit.
Drats.
You all probably already knew this but it's news to me. Seems kind of lame that I can't take a dead tree off of the ground.

 

[shawneyboy]

I'm kinda bummed. The majority of the land around me is state owned. In my town I know it 60% state owned anyway. I just got off the phone w/ guy in charge of our local-ish forestry dept and he told me no wood is allowed to be collected off of state land w/out a permit.
Drats.
You all probably already knew this but it's news to me. Seems kind of lame that I can't take a dead tree off of the ground.

Usually the permit is dirt cheap and it is for down wood. Worth the cost, usually 10 bucks or so (in many states). Don't give up yet.

Shawn

 

[Flavo]

The permit here is the lottery people speak of. The forestry guy said he won't even be taking names until NEXT fall.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Permits used to be free but the charge even now is usually very low. One thing is thought that they want you take stuff that is already down. I got wood from a State Forest a couple of years and had some good luck finding good stuff. What we found is that along the roads or two tracks close to the main road there was not much but when we drove a mile or two or three in on the two tracks we found lots.

 

[nrford]

Look for logging operations. Talk to the guys and see if you can clean up the landing area when they are done.

 

[pen]

It's similar here. Better to find that out than get a fine for stealing it. The demand depends on the area. I'm assuming you asked about acquiring the permit?

pen

 

[mayhem]

Call all the local forestry/arborist companies in your area and ask what they do with trees they cut down. At least one of them will not keep the trees and run a firewood operation...that guy will probably be happy to dump a few truckloads of logs at your house since he probably pays to dump them at the local landfill.

 

[Mt Ski Bum]

lottery for firewood permits? wow...

Do you have any National Forests near you? Over here in Montana, the Forest Service sells firewood collecting permits for $5/cord, 12 cords/year per person max... no lottery, waiting list, or limits on the number of permits sold (& if you need more than 12 cords, just go to the next National Forest over! ). I believe Yellowstone NP is selling a limited number of firewood permits this year also.

 

[muncybob]

...also, check your local Craigs List "free" section and look for your local Freecycle web site. These are places that I make part of my daily online adventures and I have come away with a few cords of wood over the last 2 years. You may also want to place your own ad to take away damaged trees or cut down trees within your comfort level. I had one person reply to my ad...he had 8 very large ash trees but unfortunatley they were too big and too close to structures for me to handle.

 

[holland_patrick]

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2697&q=429464&depNav_GID=1631&

there is where the Lottery is for next year I think a few fellow members have gotten in on it this year

 

[moosetrek]

lottery for firewood permits? wow...

Do you have any National Forests near you? Over here in Montana, the Forest Service sells firewood collecting permits for $5/cord, 12 cords/year per person max... no lottery, waiting list, or limits on the number of permits sold (& if you need more than 12 cords, just go to the next National Forest over! ). I believe Yellowstone NP is selling a limited number of firewood permits this year also.

Also the BLM will sell them, and usually less competition since not too many people know about it (oops).

You could check at the state land forestry office, they should have a timber harvest plan for the area that will tell what areas are scheduled for cutting, might give you an edge if you can scope the areas, and get in with the logging co. early and ask before everyone sees them cutting.

 

[Flavo]

Thanks for the input guys. I will give those things a shot. I'm going to try to get to know the local town forestry people too. Some one must be in charge of getting rid of all the downed nuisance trees.

 

[holland_patrick]

Not for nothing you have to remember that while there is a lot of state land CT is very densely populated. and if we all went out and cut wood there would be nothing left.

Back in the late 70's early 80's my father used this system to get wood for our free standing fireplace we had back then. He has moved on to a very nice pellet stove but I'm burning wood.

I think it's a very fair system and the details are very well though out to help conserve what we have left.

 

[wood-fan-atic]

Go thru your local pennysaver or yellow-pages and call all the tree companies you can find in your area. At least a few of them will take your name and call you for a truckload dump at your house when they are working in your area. I did this , and now tree companies call me all the time to see if I can take a load of whatever hardwood they have that day. Its a win-win.

 

[billb3]

I took advantage of the lottery for permits here years ago.
Some people were animals and totally disregarded the rules for what to take and they ended the whole program for a while.
It was costing too much to police everybody.
Last time I went ( split a 2 cord permit a friend got) we were watched the whole time by a forester with a shotgun type weapon . Really didn't want to be out in the woods with whatever kind of animals required that kind of "security".
Not fun like it used to be. (there's no bear or wolves here) the animals they were policing wore clothes.

Seems to be an on again/ off again program locally seemingly with some politics involved.

I'll buy wood if I have to.