Forest Products Industry (non Timber)

National Forests and Grasslands throughout the Northern Region, including Flathead National Forest, offer free firewood for personal use. You must obtain a hard-copy permit in order to track harvesting and communicate important wildfire safety and collection information. Please adhere to all regulations and best practices while gathering Forest products. 

Obtaining Forest Product Permits

Listed below are the limits, fees, and permit requirements for most products available. All limits and fees are for personal use only, and apply to one adult per calendar year. Gathering any product to be sold is considered commercial harvesting. Some of these products may be harvested in greater quantities for commercial use, however, different permits and fees are required. For more information about commercial harvesting, and more details on the limits and permit requirements for these and other products, please contact your local ranger district office.

Guidelines and Best Practices:

• Follow all limits and excluded products as outlined in the Forest Products Permit Guidelines.
• Follow all post and pole permit guidelines in the Flathead National Forest Personal Use Post and Pole Permits information (post and pole maps included in this document)
• Road Access: Motor Vehicle Use Maps for designated motorized roads and seasonal closures are available for download online. Motorized travel off designated roads and trails is prohibited.
• Collect from a wide-ranging area, do not limit all your collecting to a small area.
• If there is any ground disturbance, do your best to fill in the hole and cover with sod or dead plant material. Try not to leave exposed bare soil, as this is where weeds become established.