firewood permit confusion

[mr dazzler]

I read on a recent thread about having a permit to collect dead wood in hedgrows and roadside's etc, so I did phone up the forestry commission at Brandon (suffolk) to make enquiries.I was redirected to them by my local council. But I was informed that such permits are no longer available "due to insurance liability issues" And that only licensed tree surgeons with £5m+ cover could get a permit. Is this true or was she telling tales? Or is there another way to legally pick fallen branches etc that you see when your out and about? Can anyone give me the true picture PLEASE I know its tempting to just grab it and run, but I dont like anyone stealing stuff from me, so I want to be legal and legit, sod's law says I'd get pinched for having a ash branch in the boot if I went into it in a foolish way
cheers Jonathan

 

[Rob]

Strange. I did not know about permits either. I guess that when I pick up a bit of tree from in the road, I just throw it in the back of the landy.

Somehow I dont think that my habits will change.

The insurance thing is a bit of a pain. This effects things like byways/footpaths as well - as the counils would rather leave something in an unsafe or unpeasant condition, rather than let some volunteers do some pruning / hole filling.

 

[al21]

Are you sure this permit is for roadsides and hedgerows? I've often meant to get one from the FC for collecting offcuts etc from FC owned woodland, but have all ways found sufficient firewood from other sources. I've never heard of anyone having a problem with picking up wood on the roadside on country lanes, I'm sure the council will be happy that you're saving them the job.

Woodland is a different thing as the owner will want to avoid Nobby numb nuts trying to sue after he's cut his leg off with a chain saw he shouldn't have been using, and complaining that it was the wrong type of mud that caused him to slip.

I think I'll check locally to see what the score is here.

Al

 

[Eric_Methven]

The FC will issue firewood permits for most of it's woodlands and forests. The best bet is to go and see the Forest manager or head ranger. There will be a fee to pay and you will be allocated an area where you can collect firewood. There will be a proviso on the permit that forbids you from using a chainsaw and restricts you to bow saw only. You won't be allowed to fell any trees, just tops and tails from an already felled area. I had one a few years ago but as it was only softwood scraps that I could take out, I didn't bother the following year. I did show the forest manager my chainsaw certificate but he still said no as I wasn't covered by PLI. I've found phoning up some unknown person in some unknown office to be a waste of time as many of the admin people haven't a clue about what really goes on in the forest. Best to approach the head ranger or forest manager directly.

Eric

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for your replies. Was that in stang forest or hamsterly forest Eric?
I take it you are allocated a spot take it or leave it, you dont get to choose. How much did it cost for the paper's? Unfortunately I'll still have to phone them to find out where the had ranger or manager is? Unless theres any one here in suffolk who already know's ?
cheers Jonathan

 

[Eric_Methven]

It was in Hamsterly forest. I think it cost £25 for the year and I had an area of about 20 acres to take wood from. I had been hoping for some hardwood, and the forester said there might be some in the area. he gave me the choice of three areas and I chose the one I did because of the possibility of some hardwood, but there was none. In the end I only took three loads out simply because I wasn't allowed to use my perfectly good chainsaw. Instead I did a deal with an owner of some broadleaf woodland. I took what I needed so long as I cut and stacked wood for him as well. Fair do's I thought.

Eric

 

[Mang]

I did a six month secondment with the Herts and Essex Wildlife Trust through a scheme my employer runs. I asked if I could take any wood we cut down or dealt with and of course the answer was 'Of course'-No mention of permits!

 

[spamel]

In my experience, dressing as I do when I go out in the woods seems to let me do pretty much as I wish! If people see you with a green hat and smock on, a wooden walking staff and a canvs and leather bag, they assume you work there, especially if you are splitting fallen timber with an axe and cutting it into manageable chunks with a saw. I was once herding some escaped sheep with my kids and a bloke came along. He had a wooden staff and I asked if they were his sheep. He said no, and he also told me that he thought they were mine due to my clothing!

Could have had some free sheep there!

 

[fred gordon]

Like Eric I have a Permit from FCS to collect in my local woods. The current one lasts for 6 months but I can renew it. They do have a permit system available so its just a case of asking at the local FC office.

 

[Chopper]

I thin the post Mr Dazzler is refering to is this one, that I posted:

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but in some areas it is actually illegal to collect fallen wood without a permit.

In our area you need a free permit from the Council and risk prosecution if caught without one.

The best way of obtaining free wood is to call your local tree surgeons and ask if you can have some. Most of them will have to pay to get rid of it, so if they can drop it off for free they will jump at the chance.

I done this when we first bought our wood burner, I landed up with sooooo much wood I had to sell some off as logs. I had people calling all the time as it is so dear in the petrol stations.
__________________

We found this out when my sister-in-law was caught by a borough warden. Now. to be honest I cannot see what the reasoning is behind this where road side and waste land is concerned. Country parks are a diffenent issue due to wildlife and conservation areas.

I, like many used to drive miles with the trailer on the back of my Landy looking for fallen wood to burn, but then I discovered the Tree Surgeon as mentioned above. OK, its not as much fun,but it leaves me time to do the things in the woods that I want to do.

 

[TallMikeM]

how do we go around finding out if we need a permit for our area? I collect loads of wood from roadsides etc and could do without the hassle of some pointless spod from the council giving me grief.
Also, those of you who have permits from the forestry commission, how did you go about getting one?

 

[Chopper]

how do we go around finding out if we need a permit for our area? I collect loads of wood from roadsides etc and could do without the hassle of some pointless spod from the council giving me grief.
Also, those of you who have permits from the forestry commission, how did you go about getting one?

Try speaking with your local council, I am not sure that all require you to have a permit, but at ours it was the dept covering "green spaces" that delt with it.

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for all the replies gent's. Chopper you are right, the post you mention was what got me to thinking, and Fred's as well
As far as is known these permits are still definately available to anyone who asks, and doesnt mind leaving there chainsaw at home. And you dont have to have £5M liability insurances or be a licensed tree surgeon?
My next step will be to phone Brandon F C offices (again) and ask who is the local forest manager or head ranger, and arrange to talk to or meet him, hopefully get more help than the secretary I spoke to initially.
I have been asking various farmer's/tree surgeons/groundworkers etc especially about crook's and limbs, poles, stumps, roots in fact any "crap" I might well be able to use it and make it worth there while (cash or adnam's ) Another thing is I will speak to the local tree preservation officer (a huge listed oak just a few yard's down the road has a massive dead branch directly above the road, just hanging about 40 foot up waiting to drop on a vehicle). I spoke to him before, he likes trees and hedges but not so much in a unrealistic eco-demic green way, more down to earth practical. He might have some tips. I dislike jobsworths as much as anyone but why not get as much out of them as you can, after all we pay there wages
I used to go orienteering all round hamsterly back in the mid 70's. One time I remember I'd just run across a track somewhere, looked up from the map and theres a deer right there looking at me
Cheers Jonathan