Scavenging for Wood

MadOldBint

Hello everyone

Not sure if this is the totally right place for this thread but --- does anyone know what the law (if any) is on scavenging for wood for my wood-burning stove.

Currently we pick up fallen or cut and left to rot branches or trunk pieces from places like verges, public access woodlands, country parks and the like and various members of the public have verbally abused us and said that we are breaking the law and stealing.

I thought that so long as no living wood was cut, and no form of trespass onto private land was committed, then it was no offence to scavenge. But maybe I'm wrong .........?

Lotus-eater

All land is private in one way or other.
Country parks/public access woodlands, is a big no no, unless you ask and you will be told, no.
Parks in towns, sometimes you can get permission, but normally only after storms, when they have loads of wood lying around and only if you are very lucky.
Verges, I think sometimes they are owned by the local landowner and sometimes by the local council, normally no one will care what you take from them, but you really should (and I do) ask the landowner before you take fallen wood.

Davesnave

In public access places, logs are often left deliberately for wildlife as beetles and other invertebrates, fungi and a whole host of other organisms depend on rotting wood. For that reason, I wouldn't forage there.

I think permits to forage for wood from Forestry Commission land have also been withdrawn, but I'm not 100% sure. This is almost bound to happen as fuel costs rise.

rhiwfield

Davesnave wrote: »

In public access places, logs are often left deliberately for wildlife as beetles and other invertebrates, fungi and a whole host of other organisms depend on rotting wood. For that reason, I wouldn't forage there.

I think permits to forage for wood from Forestry Commission land have also been withdrawn, but I'm not 100% sure. This is almost bound to happen as fuel costs rise.

When we descrubbed our meadow, we burned the brash in a designated spot and made several habitat piles of the cut logs and branches. Last year a group of lads decided to have a sleepover in the field and mostly demolished one log pile for a large bonfire. To add insult to injury the bonfire was in the middle of high conservation value grassland. Although there is a public footpath through the land, and the management team would not object to people collecting blackberries, sloes etc, it is sad that people think they have a right to go on private land and help themselves.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

as above i was lead to believe you can n ot just go and collect wood with out permission, regardless if it has fallen down, on a grass verge, and def not in a forrestry,

If you are looking for wood for your woodburner, i would suggest you go round the local industrial parks and ask companies if they have any old broken pallets etc, also any wood joiners, carpenters, also go through your yellow pages and look for tree surgeons, and ask then about the trees they prune and cut down, a few years back our friend who is a tree surgeon, could not get rid of hte trees, now even the owners are asking to keep them..

sar050680

As CTC says industrial estates are your best bet, I work in a wooden window making firm and we have lots of people coming in to get off cuts and such, our skip is emptied twice a week with so much wood in it. Just get permission of the manger first .

MadOldBint

Firstly may I say thanks everyone for replying and a huge WELL DONE to sar 050680 for giving up the fags. I'm in the throes of that currently.

The one about asking local fence manufacturers etc. for their scrap wood is a good idea except that all the joinery firms etc. around here actually utilise their off-cuts by selling them bagged up for people with woodburners like me, lol. Also, I reckon one would have to be careful about what was being burnt since any form of chemical or preservative on the wood is definitely not good!

Hmmm, never thought of the deliberate placing of rotting wood in order to encourage specific flora/fauna aspect (parkland etc). I think I'll need to speak with the local Rangers to see if such items have indeed been deliberately placed thus before taking anything. If not, no doubt said Rangers will turn a blind eye to my Catweasel-type foraging activities.

As for the occasional self-righteous nosey parker castigating me for theft, I expect they're either jealous because they don't have the bottle to do it (or don't have a woodburner) --- or they have precious little else to do with their time than rant at complete strangers from a position of moral high ground............after all, picking up windfalls from country road verges is such a TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS and utterly offensive activity which any normal person, of course, finds utterly disgusting. Isn't it?

Rhiwfield: sorry to hear that. I've never gone onto fenced or private land and wouldn't dream of doing so.

cootambear

You can`t even have a pint with a cig these days, so you can bank on diasapproval from some to scavenging.

Lotus-eater

MadOldBint wrote: »

Hmmm, never thought of the deliberate placing of rotting wood in order to encourage specific flora/fauna aspect (parkland etc). I think I'll need to speak with the local Rangers to see if such items have indeed been deliberately placed thus before taking anything. If not, no doubt said Rangers will turn a blind eye to my Catweasel-type foraging activities.

All of my local parks do this.

MadOldBint wrote: »

As for the occasional self-righteous nosey parker castigating me for theft, I expect they're either jealous because they don't have the bottle to do it (or don't have a woodburner) --- or they have precious little else to do with their time than rant at complete strangers from a position of moral high ground............after all, picking up windfalls from country road verges is such a TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS and utterly offensive activity which any normal person, of course, finds utterly disgusting. Isn't it?

Not sure if you are talking about me here, or someone else. But I can't see anyone ranting at you for theft.
I can see straightforward legal advice.

As for a moral high ground..... to get a reply like the one you have written, makes everyone else immediately on the high ground.
You my friend, have gone on ignore, good luck with your MSE experience.

SallyForth_2

"the management team would not object to people collecting blackberries, sloes"

It wouldn't surprise me if it's not long before you won't be allowed to do that either.

rhiwfield

SallyForth wrote: »

"the management team would not object to people collecting blackberries, sloes"

It wouldn't surprise me if it's not long before you won't be allowed to do that either.

Sallyforth, what an unnecessary remark.

The team that looks after this meadow, plus volunteers from scouts, wildlife groups and a local agricultural cottage have put in 10,000+ hours on this project since 2002. They have not been paid a penny. Each year we have to remove bottles, litter, glass and worse because some people think they have the right to despoil the area. So when people trash the habitat piles, burn the grassland, steal rock from the dry stone wall and leave their dogs mess in plastic bags in the hedges, are we meant to applaud them?? God give me strength!