Wood Near Public Roads

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Does anyone know if there are any laws or regulations regarding ownership of downed logs or trees on the side of public roads; specifically in Massachusetts? I've seen a few very good prospects and am interested in scrounging them. Is the wood free to take if it's within a certain distance from the road?

Thanks very much.

 

[firefighterjake]

Can't speak to laws . . . especially in Massachusetts . . . but around here it's considered polite and in fact right to find out if the landowner minds you taking the wood or not . . . since the road may be public . . . but the land often is not. Around here folks tend to want to keep the wood since there are so many wood burners.

 

[RNLA]

Since we have non wood burner type culture here, not too many people burn, until you get out away from town. The wood is usually fair game but I would ask first. The utility companies can not give permission to take the wood, the county or state can not say it is ok, no one wants liability. What usually happens is the wood lays there until it rots because everyone is afraid of getting in trouble for taking or giving permission to take. This really pisses me off because a bunch of good wood goes wasted >:-(

 

[rdust]

As the others have said get the owners permission first. I go through this a lot and very seldom does it pay off. We have a lot of ash ending up on the side of the road and the owners are misinformed so they think the wood can not be removed from their property. SO I just get to watch it rot away, really pretty sad........

 

[TreePointer]

Around here, we ask the property owner first. There are some wood burners and even more shotgun owners.

 

[smokinj]

Around here its look at like trash! But knock on the cloesest door there more than glad you showed up.

 

[shawneyboy]

Technically if you take it you are stealing. Always ask for permission.

Shawn

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most states are like MI in that you generally own to the center of the road. Then the county has x number of feet for the right-of-way. Therefore, anything along the side of the road is property of the land owner. In some areas you may get by with just taking the wood but why take the chance? All it takes is knocking on a door or two and many times you may actually find even more wood through those people you are asking! Yes, many times they will say something like, "We want to take down that tree or those trees. Are you interested?" Depending on circumstances you may or may not want to fell the trees but then you very well might get some excellent firewood.

 

[weatherguy]

Been wondering the same thing since I caught the scrounging disease. A lot of times there not a house within 1/2 mile of the wood. I plan on putting my chainsaw in my truck and next time I see some Im going to the nearest house to ask, hate to see good wood rot.

 

[ruserious2008]

I would always find the landowner or closest landowner. Every state varies and in NH depends if it a state road or not how far the "public" land goes beyond the driving surface. Thing is I find most landowners think they own right to the pavement regardless or reality and you don't want to get into a pissing contest with someone over some wood. In my little state most towns now have their property record cards and town tax maps online so its pretty easy to look up who the owner is and make the phone call or go knock on the door. Perhaps that info is available in your area. Either way unless it has a free sign I don't care if its in the middle of a public road that does not make it "public domain" property. Someone owns it no matter where it is and I won't take road side wood without someones permission. Good luck

 

[PapaDave]

"Someone owns it no matter where it is"
Bingo.

 

[woodchip]

It might be worth offering a jar of home made preserves or something in return (my wife makes strawberry jam which is in big demand round here).

Just make sure you dont give a crate of beer away to someone who doesn't own the wood you want to scrounge........... ;-)

 

[TreePointer]

I agree. If you are going to give away a crate of beer, give it to me.

 

[velvetfoot]

Hey, don't take my wood out by the road!

 

[Prosecond]

As a rural land owner I would consider it stealing. I would call the law if I caught someone stealing my wood.

 

[snowleopard]

Two years ago there were a few trees laying across the road up to our house. Kids and I cut them up and dragged them off the road. They're still there, so I knocked on the nearest door tonight, and turns out that the owner is a burner and was thinking about cutting them up and using it. If that were me and I went up to cut it and found it gone, I would have been annoyed. I drove past a cut round laying in the ditch for a week or so before it disappeared, and I left it there, figuring it belonged to someone and they'd be back for it--it's gone now. Best to play it safe--it's just wood, and there's some growing on every tree.

I'm curious about the stuff that's growing on greenbelt areas. I'm right next to a five acre lot that will never be occupied, and it's got harvestable deadwood on it. What about that?

 

[weatherguy]

I took the back way to the doctors appt today and half way there I had to turn around and go back, a big tree had just fallen across the road, there wasnt a house for 1/2 mile in either direction. I figured I'd go home that way and see what happened to the tree figuring maybe I could get some free wood. I drove by 45 minutes later and it was all gone except for a few small branches, that was quick whoever cut it up and hauled it away.
Then I saw a cut up oak in a gully in front of a house, tomorrow Im going to go back and knock on the door, looks like their in a tough spot to haul out, could be why they're still there.