Gathering your own firewood is a great activity as it gets you out into the forest where you can see wildlife, gives you control over your fuel source and the activity of collecting firewood is good for your health.
In North West England we offer individuals and families the opportunity to gather their own firewood when they want through the issue of Firewood Scavenging Permits. This page provides information on how to apply for one of our permits. This is a trial covering only North and West Cumbria at the moment
Main Features
- Time limited - 12 months from date of permit approval.
- Cost - £120.00 inc vat.
- Site specific - usually a recently harvested site where off cuts and odd lengths are available to collect.
- Offered to local communities - we offer woodfuel as a non fossil fuel to people local to the sites in order to help reduce the impacts of climate change by discouraging long travel distances.
- Usually No limit on how much and how often you collect (see site maps for any restrictions).
- Firewood used for personal residential heating not resold.
- No machines or chainsaws allowed although you can use a bow saw or similar hand saw.
- No felling of standing live or dead trees.
- Stacked logs at roadside not included but may be added by negotiation.
Available Sites
There are currently no sites available for Firewood Scavenging Permits. Please keep checking the website as new sites will be added as they become available.
Before applying we suggest you visit the site(s) nearest you and check that there is enough timber available on the site considering our charge and the number of other permits active or available. Please park at the access point and explore on foot obeying any advisory signs regarding forest operations or restrictions to access.
How To Apply
- Print the Site Map and sign where indicated to confirm that you have read and understood the site constraints and hazards shown on the map.
- Read our Landowners Risk Assessment and be aware of the Forestry Commission Bylaws.
- Print out and read our Firewood Scavenging Permit which includes Riddor (Reporting of Instances, Diseases and Dangerous Occurances Regulations). Complete your details, the name of the site you wish to access (from the above list) and sign where indicated by the red underlining.
Send the signed map and permit along with your cheque payment (Made to Forestry Commission) for £120.00 and your vehicle insurance certificate to Debbie Howgate at Forestry Commission, North West England, Grizedale, Hawkshead, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJ.
What Happens Next
On receiving your permit we will endeavour to process your application quickly and get back to you within 14 days. Assuming we approve your permit application we will send you back your signed permit and details of how to get vehicle access to your site, this could be a key or combination lock number.