• State governments typically regulate local firewood collections.firewood image by Juliette Speers from Fotolia.com
  
  Firewood collection regulations vary from state to state in the United States. Most require firewood collection permits and limit the amount of firewood collectors may gather for resale. Wisconsin, Ohio and several other states limit the movement of firewood in an attempt to quell invasive insect species destroying certain trees. Insect species transported from one area of the country to another may encounter few natural predators and procreate with abandon, decimating available food sources.
  
  

Firewood Collection Permits

• Many states require a firewood collection permit; such as the $10 Illinois permit for allowing the removal of personal firewood from state forests, reports the Illinois Department of Natural Resources web site. Permits typically restrict collection to one day, though several states offer multiple permits in a single year. Limits on the amount of personal firewood gathered per permit vary from state to state. Generally firewood collection permits do not allow the cutting of fresh wood and limit gathering firewood to only naturally occurring downed dead wood. Firewood collection vehicles may travel only on existing roadways within state forests. States rarely permit chainsaws during firewood collection.
  
  

Firewood Collection for Resale

• Some states offer permits for the collection of large amounts of firewood potentially destined for resale, but these permits frequently cost far more than personal collection permits. Michigan permits firewood collection for firewood resellers, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment web site. These permits, often called small timber sales, occur only in select areas of state owned property. Large timber permits, typically timber or lumber company purchased, sell through state operated bidding processes often awarding the collection permit to the highest bidder. Often large timber permits allow the cutting and harvesting of live trees, while small timber permits do not permit tree felling.
  
  

Firewood Movement Restrictions

• Wisconsin, along with several other states, limits the transport of firewood to state parks and forests and cautions citizens against the moving of firewood. The emerald ash borer insect, discovered in Wisconsin in 2008, and gypsy moths invade many unprotected habitats during firewood transport, states the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Wisconsin prohibits firewood traveling into state parks and forests from distances exceeding 25 miles. Firewood collectors from multiple counties in several states, including Wisconsin, may not transport firewood over county lines if known invasive insect species exist there. Several invasive insect species infect many varieties of trees throughout the US causing millions of dollars in damages and lost trees.