Windfall branches

[Tony]

Justin Time got me thinking with his question.

Mine is - I know we are not supposed to cut bits off of trees but what is the law governing branches etc that have fallen to the ground and are completely unattached to the trees. Are we allowed to just take this? Can we cut a bit off of it for say a spoon?

I was waling around a lake the other month and saw a small tree that had been snapped off, so I carried it off with me. I got some weird looks but no one said anything, although I might hold my tongue if I saw a bloke walking around with a tree under his arm :-?

Thoughts?

 

[Gary]

You'd probably find that governed by bye laws Tone.

In Epping your allowed to carry off wrist thick stuff but no bigger. Another wood near where I live the law is strictor and here your not allowed to remove anything from the fabric of the forest.

I just plead ignorance in most cases it works!

 

[Viking]

Visiting this forum makes me realize how lucky I am living in a country that are giving me so much freedom (and responsibilities) when spending time in the nature.

 

[bigjackbrass]

Having just seen the weather forecast I can see what you mean. And I think I hear the slates beginning to rattle.

Viking, you don't know how right you are. I had a wonderful time hiking around Sweden some years ago and found the attitude to nature and the outdoors was admirable. Of course, a small population in a big country, the opposite of the situation here in Britain, does help, but over in America where there should be ample land for everyone there is also more than enough regulation to last a lifetime. Permits for everything, and unfortunately a culture that sees everything in financial terms. Is it a tree, or is it lumber?

Back in Britain I find myself sadly looking at a sky devoid of stars (too much light from the towns) and a countryside with wonderful corners tucked away, but a general feeling that it is all under threat. As awareness of and interest in bushcraft is growing the countryside is eroding. Nice to be in a (virtual) place where people actively care about it.

 

[Chopper]

I am not sure if this applies to all areas of the UK, but down here in the Medway area of Kent you need a licence from the local council to pick up fallen branches, as my sister in law found out when collecting wood for their fire at home, a council offical who was driving past saw what she was doing and screamed "put that back, youll spoil the woodland", two years later there are 47 houses standing on the same spot. :-(

 

[Stew]

Hhm, interesting point.

I've always just assumed that I could take windfall (or even abandoned "trimmings") before, but usually tried to be discrete as I'm sure people would be disapproving.

 

[al]

must admit i liberated a few bits the other day with my laplander and thought nothing of it , i thought if its there fill your boots kind of thing , i always do . now this will get me ranting about "the land and all thats on it is mine " sort of stuff pah humans and greed grrrrrrr

 

[donkeyporge]

I have a feeling you can take them so long as the branches are no thicker than your wrist!
Somebody more knowledgeable will confirm this hopefully :-?

 

[Stew]

Well, I can't find anything on the wonderful internet about it. I thought I had something a few times, just to be thwarted at the last.

The worst was when I was looking at a site with some good stuff but it was about Indonesia and I hadn't realised.

 

[Doc]

Viking is right - I suppose Sweden has fewer people per square mile than us, but even walking is often restricted, let alone gathering. I once took a Swedish goldpanner to a local burn (stream), and he was astonished that we needed to get permission- in Sweden they just start panning. Here in the UK, not only do you need landowners permission, but technically, the gold belongs to the Queen!

I think there may be a right to collect wood on certain common land?

 

[Bear Stone]

Hi fellas,
I'm not a pessamist but I can't avoid what I see. I think unless something radical happens things are only going to get worse.
In the last 12 months I have noticed that freedom of speech is no longer and democracy has been re-defined.
It is not my intention to start a political debate; but the ones with power seem to tighten thier grip more and more on all things including the countryside, making it more and more difficult for people like us to simply enjoy it. How often do you drive past an open piece of ground and 'enjoy the green' only to find one day that it is being developed.
I feel that the country side is dissapearing in this country - it is only a matter of time. We will be left with 'parks' that have an entrance fee and they will be filled with unruly kids and idiots with loud radios - you know, about like camp sites are now! GEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!!!!!

 

[Roving Rich]

I know what you mean. I am wondering if I can claim political assylum in Canada on the ground of our government being braindead-capitalist-scum for my entire lifetime!!!
Do you think it might work~?
:-?
Rich

 

[Bear Stone]

Yeah Canada!
Let's join forces and build a cabin high up in the woods - stuff 'em!!
Oh, if only...

Bear

 

[Bear Stone]

All joking apart,
Remember the metior that is on the way - 16 years and counting?
Kinda makes you wonder why Bush wants a space station on the moon. Also, if he doesn't plan on sticking around; that would explain his complete disregard for the environment.

Bear

 

[Fluxus]

Regardless of the law, my attitude to this would depend on the type/ quality of the woodland as a wildlife habitat. Dead wood supports at least as many species of organism as living trees - think of all the fungi and insect life that other animals depend on as their food source.Too much dead wood is tidied up by woodland managers resulting in the decline of the woodland ecosyystem as a whole. Whatever we take should be in very small amounts - not carting loads home to stock the burner for free!

 

[Roving Rich]

Guilty. The woods opposite where I used to live were stacked with piles of logs which i used to liberate regularly, as peasants have done for centuries. Only this one time i'm loading up the trusty Munro, and i notice a wasp dancing around me, then another, a handfull, then a torrent of em swarming out of the log pile. They covered me stinging me all over as i hopped around the place. Then I ran for it arms flayeling like a mad man.
They chased me all the way home, sticking to my fleece which was just thick enough for them not to penetrate, untill i moved that is.
I got to my front door still covered in them, jumped around a bit unable to shake them. I stripped the fleece off over my head bending over as i did so, one went down down my trousers and got trapped,repeatedly stinging my bottom! I opened the door a crack and dashed in slamming the door behind me.
My girlfriend was inside having her haircut by her sister. We all got stung. It took the rest of the evening to kill em all, dowsing them down with water from a plant sprayer till they dropped then splat. 28 of em nasty little so an so's I hate them.
I have watched them gang up and murder a mouse.
wee em off and they bring their mates back! Grrrrr
And they like lager.
Still didn't take any more logs from those woods
Rich

 

[Ed]

Ouch.... poor rich... atleast you have learnt to let the wasps have 'their' wood... :rolmao:

Ed

 

[Chopper]

You may laugh about country parks with admission fees, but we already have them, complete with 6' hight restrictions, so even if I was happy to pay (which I am not) I could'nt get my Land Rover in.
SO, SOD'EM, I make my own fun in areas so remote that even I have trouble finding were Im going.

To much red tape breeds rebels.

POWER TO THE BUSHCRAFTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :f:

 

[Bear Stone]

Hi fellas,
I live close to a park here in Brum - quite a big one. The wardens are always looking after trees and things. As a result, they have a yard that always has plenty of wood in it. They are happy to let people take it away from the yard because of the bonfire laws here (might be different where you are). The less wood they have the less it costs to have it removed. They even gave me a huge stump for my anvil and they brought it round to my house too.
Originaly, I got caught taking bark off a fallen SilverBirch and was read the riot act, which is how I found out about the wood yard.
If you live near woods or a forest there has to be a ranger or something. They might be glad to give it to you.

Bear

 

[Bear Stone]

Chopper,
A friend of mine goes green laning a lot and he says that local councils are trying to get it banned - have you heard this?

Bear