Forest Products Industry (non Timber)

General Information 

The permit terms and firewood map are part of your Personal Use Firewood Permit. It is your responsibility to cut your firewood in the place and manner authorized by your permit. The map issued with your permit identifies areas that are closed to firewood cutting. Each year, additional areas may be closed to firewood cutting for management purposes. These areas will be posted/signed on the ground, and information will be available at the district office. Firewood cutting is prohibited in wilderness areas, research natural areas, administrative sites, research areas, posted contract and “No Cutting” areas, and within 150 feet of campgrounds, recreation sites and resorts. All other lands on the Manti-La Sal National Forest are open to firewood cutting. 

Reminders 

• Please read your permit carefully
• Remember to fill out your Permit Removal Record and to use your Fuelwood Load Tags
• All Firewood permits expire on December 31st each year

General (Permit) Terms and Conditions 

1. This sale is final and payments are not subject to refund.
2. Permit must be in the Permittee's possession while harvesting and transporting products. Copies are not allowed.
3. This permit is nontransferable.
4. This permit and activities hereunder are subject to all applicable Federal statutes and regulations and State and local laws. In case of conflict, Federal statutes and regulations shall take precedence. Where applicable, a Memorandum of Agreement between the Forest Service and BLM governs administration and enforcement of this permit (Sec. 330, P.L. 106-291).
5. Motorized vehicles are not allowed off existing roads that are open to the public, unless otherwise specified within this permit. Permittee parking shall not block traffic or impede fire or emergency vehicles.
6. Permittee shall remove all trash and litter resulting from Permittee's activities.
7. Concurrent with forest product removal activities, slash and unused vegetative material resulting from Permittee's activities shall be removed from roads and ditches and scattered in the surrounding landscape.
8. Permittee shall comply with fire requirements and current restrictions to prevent forest fires.
9. Permittee shall pay for or repair all damage to natural features; riparian areas; other vegetation; and roads, trails, fences, ditches, telephone lines, or other improvements resulting from Permittee's activities under this permit.
10. The Forest Service and/or BLM reserve the right to unilaterally revoke this permit for Permittee's noncompliance with its terms and conditions or when revocation is in the public's interest.
11. Regardless of whether forest products are removed, this permit will terminate either at midnight of the termination date (of the permit), or when the quantity listed (in the permit) is reached, whichever comes first.
12. None of the terms or conditions of this permit may be varied or modified, except for unilateral modifications by the Forest Service and/or BLM.
13. Permittee agrees to hold the Government harmless from any claim for damage or loss of property, personal injury, or death.
14. Collection of forest products is permitted only in the area(s) described by this permit.
15. Permittee shall complete the Product Quantity Removal Record in ink prior to transporting products. When load tickets are issued, the Permittee is required to complete load tickets when Permittee moves between collection sites or leaves a permit area. Load tickets must be securely attached to the load and clearly visible from the rear of the vehicle.

Other (Permit) Terms and Conditions 

1. It is prohibited to harvest fuelwood within 100 feet of streams, ponds, lakes, etc.
2. It is prohibited to haul wood in lengths over 4'.
3. It is prohibited to Use motorized equipment to skid or load wood
4. It is prohibited to use a chain saw without a spark arrester.
5. It is required to have on hand, a full sized shovel and fire extinguisher (at least 8 oz.)
6. It is prohibited to leave a stump (cut by permittee) taller than 12" from the ground surface on high side of the stump.
7. It is prohibited to cut ANY tree with paint marks or official signs in timber sale areas, administrative sites, range study areas, wildlife exclosures and summer home areas (see map).
8. It is prohibited to operate a vehicle more than 150' from Forest roads (see District Motor Vehicle Use Map). In the Bears Ears National Monument, NO motorized off-road travel to retrieve fuelwood is authorized. Manti-La Sal Regulations for Personal Use Firewood Cutting
9. It is permitted to cut only dead trees, standing or down. On the Moab and Monticello Ranger Districts, it is PROHIBITED to cut any standing dead trees, except for juniper, aspen and pinyon pine.
10. Permittee will lop and scatter all limbs of all trees. Limbs will be lopped to within 24" of ground level.
11. Additional conditions and information are listed on the Firewood Map and information sheet which is made part of this permit. The permit, firewood map and information sheet must be in your possession while gathering and transporting firewood.

How large is a cord of wood? 

A cord of wood is defined as 128 cubic feet of wood. Measurements are 4' high x 8' long x 4' deep. 

• A full-size truck with an 8-foot bed will hold one cord of firewood if the wood is stacked to the top of the cab
• A small truck (¼ ton) with or without racks will hold approximately ½ a cord of firewood (Approx. 1331 lbs.)
• A short-bed truck (½ ton) with or without racks will hold approximately ½ a cord of firewood (Approx. 1331 lbs.)
• A long-bed truck (½ or ¾ ton) without racks, will hold approximately ½ a cord of firewood (Approx. 1331 lbs.)
• A long-bed truck (½ or ¾ ton) with racks will hold approximately 1 full cord of firewood (Approx. 2662 lbs.)
• A 1-ton truck with high racks will hold approximately 2 cords of firewood (Approx. 5324 lbs.) 

How do I purchase a permit? 

Firewood permits are purchased in-person at your nearest USDA Forest Service office between the hours of 8:00am and 4:00pm. Moab Ranger District permits can be purchased at the Monticello office and intermittently at the Moab office based on staffing – call for availability. 

What is the charge for the permit? 

The cost of a firewood permit is $5.00 per cord, with a $20.00 minimum/four cord purchase. If you want to purchase fewer than four cords, the fee is still $20.00. The maximum number of cords you can purchase per year is 10. Permits are non-refundable. If lose your permit, we can’t make a copy of it; you will have to purchase another one. When does my permit expire? Permits expire on December 31st, annually. 

What type of firewood can I harvest? 

• On the Ferron/Price and Sanpete Ranger Districts, it is permitted to cut only dead trees; they can be standing or down.
• On the Moab and Monticello Ranger Districts specifically, it is PROHIBITED to cut any standing dead trees, except for juniper, aspen and pinyon pine. When collecting firewood on the Moab and Monticello Ranger Districts, Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Engelmann Spruce, White Fire, and Subalpine Fir must be dead and already down – do not cut these species if they are standing, even if they appear dead. 

Why can’t I cut standing dead Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Engelmann Spruce, White Fir, and Subalpine Fir on the Moab and Monticello Ranger Districts?

Standing dead trees (called snags) provide food and shelter for a variety of animals. Nearly one-third of the animals in the forest utilize these snags, which are called “animal inns.” Hawks, eagles, and owls use snags for hunting perches. Woodpeckers drill into dead or dying trees to obtain insects for food and make cavities for shelter. Birds, such as bluebirds and owls, nest in holes made by woodpeckers. Small mammals store food in cracks in the dead wood. On the Moab and Monticello Ranger Districts in particular, resources of standing dead Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Engelmann Spruce, White Fir, and Subalpine Fir trees are more limited, which is why they are not approved for cutting and firewood provision.

• Purchase Christmas Tree permits on recreation.gov from October through the middle of December.
• Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free holiday tree permit through their local National Forest.  To obtain a free holiday tree permit, visit recreation.gov to apply using the Every Kid Outdoors pass by checking the box indicating you have a pass and entering the pass or voucher number.