Fuelwood Permit allows residents to collect downed wood from roadside areas

State Rep. Parker Fairbairn on Thursday submitted a request to Department of Natural Resources Director Scott Bowen asking that costs and limitations on the state’s Fuelwood Permit Program be curtailed through the end of the year. The request comes in light of the significant amount of trees on the ground as a result of the ice storm that devastated northern Michigan last month. The program allows residents to obtain a permit that lets them collect a set number of cords of wood that is dead and on the ground in designated state forest lands and within 200 feet of a roadway.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that after a truly once-in-a-generation storm, our rural roads are lined with an incredible number of downed trees,” Fairbairn said. “The state needs to have the debris cleared, and northern Michigan residents would benefit from being able to collect more of the wood for personal use without having to pay for a permit to do so.”

Downed trees and limbs are perishable resources – they will begin to rot and become infested if left on the ground for too long. Eliminating the fee for permits to collect wood within the state-declared disaster area and allowing residents to collect as much as they can clear, transport, and store would provide a significant benefit to the state, users of the forests, and those who collect the wood.

In his letter, Fairbairn applauded the director for already taking steps to increase the amount of wood that can be collected – from 5 to 10 cords per household – and goes on to ask that additional modifications be made to the program through the end of 2025, including the following:

• Eliminate the $20 application fee – making the permits free
• Eliminate the cap on number of cords that can be collected per household
• Eliminate the 90-day permit period – making them good through the end of the year
• Allow applicants to designate a third-party to collect and/or transport wood on their behalf

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