Forestry commission Wales stops issuing firewood licences to individuals

[Darren Hill]

[Write it up and/or phone the papers. One key phrase here is the 'royal'... "We have accommodated requests to collect firewood in the past, but issuing lots of individual scavenging permits can be inefficient and may conflict with other management objectives" IE. we can't be bothered. Who writes this patronising weasely drivel? Thanks so much for picking up on this. In fact, individuals have been very accommodating by applying for licences in the first place. All the so-called authorities can expect is that individuals simply take the firewood and if they catch you in the act there may be a fight. The whole technocratic 'surveillance' agenda starts to become clear. Can't have families living outside the wonderfully sucessful money system now can we?  -  ed.]



http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7KTLDR


  Collecting firewood from Welsh Assembly woodlands

Firewood may be supplied from the land managed by the Forestry 
Commission on behalf of the public in different ways:

    * There may be a few historical rights or rights established by
      longstanding custom. These are rare and would only be found in
      some of our forests with very long history and traditions.

    * We can issue scavenging licences/permits where individuals can go
      in on foot and pick up what they can carry - they must not use
      power tools without specific permission and confirmation that they
      have the necessary qualifications and insurance.

    * We can sell it ourselves - this is likely to be firewood left over
      from other operations and is likely to need a vehicle to be
      removed. Again, if someone wanted to use power tools to cut it up
      they would need a contract and confirmation that they have the
      necessary qualifications and insurance.

    * Firewood merchants can enter contracts to buy larger quantities of
      wood, either standing or at the forest roadside.

Decisions on what is the best option will be made by our local Forest 
District Managers and their staff using their knowledge of the local 
woodlands, the management objectives they are trying to achieve and the 
potential scale and impact of demand from local communities.

We have accommodated requests to collect firewood in the past, but 
issuing lots of individual scavenging permits can be inefficient and may 
conflict with other management objectives � e.g. the importance of dead 
and decaying timber as part of the woodland ecosystem and as a habitat 
for insects and fungi. We also have a duty of care to the public in our 
woodlands and to the potential collectors themselves and must make a 
reasonable assessment of the potential risks involved.

For this reason, in Wales we are moving towards a model of firewood 
contracts with local merchants. This will ensure that all people locally 
have an opportunity to buy firewood sourced from a Forestry Commission 
woodland. This model will also enable us to better deliver our wider 
policy responsibilities for the public woodlands in terms of specifying 
exactly which firewood can be collected.

----------------------------

Related discussion and background information at 
http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4726.0.html