Firewood Police

[MountainDon]

Some of you will be aware we are thinning the acre and a half we bought this summer that is next to our original purchase. We already had more than enough firewood and we didn't want the work o bucking and stacking only to watch it ro away over the next decade. So we've offered free fuelwood to friends. We've had over a dozen take advantage of the offer, some multiple times.

We're located in the middle of the National Forest, and I was very aware that some of our friends could be stopped on the way home for lack of the forest service red/orange fuelwood permit tag on the load. There are countless loads of paid permit wood moving out of the forest from nearby our property. So on the printed directions/map we had given to everyone I was sure to include our cell number and told everyone in the event of questions they should give them our number and tell them to call us. Be sure to tell them the wood was from private land. Show them the map.

While stopped at a roadside vault toilet one of our friends was accosted by a forest service employee. "Where's your permit! You don't have a tag on that load!" Our directions note and map was produced. Our friend even offered the use of his cell phone to call us. The FS guy went on and on, "We don't make phone calls. It's up to you to prove where the wood came from" Etc. He acted like overbearing idiot he was proving himsel to be. Finally, one of our friends demanded they be allowed to leave, "or give me a ticket." The FS guy fumed a bit more, then told them they should have a letter from the landowner with all the details, and let them go on.

That was last weekend. I drafted a letter, "To whom it may concern, The bearer has been given this load of wood from our private land. Any questions, call 505-nnn-nnnn." We gave that letter to a couple folks this weekend.

Yesterday another friend with a load of wood from us was stopped by a FS employee. Same one maybe? He looked at the letter and stated that "anyone could run this off on a computer. Why should I believe you?"

On the one hand, that is a valid observation. Anyone could print a ltter. But I wonder how many people would. The FS person refused to make a verification call to us. Sounds like the same guy, "We don't make phone calls." So, having heard the previous story from us, our friend also demanded a ticket or to be let go. He was told to go.

This afternoon I called my friend the former Forest Service District Ranger, now a Superintendent. I told him the story. He was upset about the attitude displayed by the FS employee. He's going to see what can be done. I also asked if there was a problem with people poaching firewood. He said, NO there was not.

I hope they stop me someday. I wonder how they would verify it was myself, the landowner? I don't carry my property title with me and the property has no mailing address at present.

[Redoverfarm]

Bad apples in every bunch.  Probably left his common sense on the dresser when he left for work.  It would be understandable if they were hauling a full log load of marketable timber.  It does happen but again common sense should dictate.

[glenn kangiser]

Dang, Don.  Seems like even you agree that the government gets out of hand sometimes.  At least you found a good one to help.  

Tell your friends to ask the officer for his name and  badge number to make a report to internal affairs or their equivalent.

[NM_Shooter]

Makes me want to drive up and down in the Jemez with a load of firewood :-)

My response would be: 

1)  Where do you think I acquired this wood?
2)  What is your proof?

Grrrr......

It seems to me that unless the forest service actually catches you in the act of loading wood onto your trailer in the middle of the national forest, they have no beef.  Zero. 

Too bad neither of those folks got the name of the forest officer.  Can they provide a description?

[Squirl]

Just be glad you don't have restrictions on distance.  NY and PA have a 50 mile limit on firewood transportation.  Some type of beatle problem.  I don't see how it helps.  Move a beatle 30 miles.  Infects a tree.  Cut down the tree.  Move that tree another 30 miles.  etc...

  Before coal, wood was the main fuel in this country.  There are a lot of old laws on the books concerning firewood in east coast states.  They are just never enforced anymore.

This sounds like an issue that a local paper may want.  If it is affecting your friends it may be affect other people in the surrouding community.  If you don't get any results from your friend, a little bad PR might help them get perspective.

[rick91351]

Don if I were you I would contact the District Ranger or his / her office and ask how this best handled to cut down on the hassle and the headache.  It is ridiculous the hassles they have put people through from impounding the wood to needless arrests.  

Where the ranch is at in the mountains and our home being in the valley - we in the fall will bring out six to eight cords of fire wood because we heat mainly with firewood.  All of this is harvested from my property or other private property.  This year I even brought out a load of saw logs on my flat bed as well.  Another hanging offense if off public land.  These were not of course and were harvested from some beetle killed trees on my property.  I am expecting the same treatment one of these days.  I have pondered to how I would react to the same thing myself several times.  These timber cops in most cases certainly do not know the local land owners unless they have the huge 10,000 acre places.  Me at 640 do not even register on their meter on most cases.

However the ranger district that the ranch is located in has been excellent and very easy to work with.  In the past, once in a while I would get a permit for firewood from public lands because of the abundance of red fir.  One time they made a mistake and called me to inform me I had the wrong permit ticket numbers on a permit they had issued me.  They were certainly a lot more worried than I was.      

[MountainDon]

... Some type of beatle problem.  I don't see how it helps.  Move a beatle 30 miles.  Infects a tree.  Cut down the tree.  Move that tree another 30 miles.  etc...

We have the pine bark beetle, and it's all over the place. The only way to help kill it off is to cover all the cut wood with 6 mil plastic right down to the ground and weight the edges down to seal the enclosure. Dirt works best. Then the pile has to sit for 90 of warm to hot weather. That bakes the beetles and their larvae. I don't know that it helps all that much. Removing the excess trees like we are doing makes the local environment healthier for the remaining tress; more water availability is the main thing.

We're telling the next volunteer fire wood gatherers to record details and take pictures i they can get away with it. Maybe we civvies all need our own dash cameras?


Rick, I had the same thought about contacting the local Jemez ranger to see what would make things easier or everyone all round.

[Redoverfarm]

I think the one they are most worried about now is the Emerald Ash Bore Beetle.  There are several states in the east that will not you even bring firewood into a campsite from another jurisdiction. I believe I heard that WV has just lifted it's ban because it was out of hand and all the surrounding states have infestation.   


http://www.stopthebeetle.info/

[MountainDon]

I guess it's one thing or another wherever you go.