Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)
- Thread starter mainewoods
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On that note, my kids go to the "bounce house" places every so often. You need to sign a legal release saying if the kid gets hurt ie bumping into another kid, jumping off equipment, etc they aren't liable. But you bet your a.. that if there is negligence with equipment maintenance and someone gets hurt, the company is footing the bill.
Yeah or some dumbo climbing over a fence marked with "no tresspassing" and "beware of dog" signs then getting mauled by the dog and suing. Must be the dog's fault. SMH
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
lol. Yep, I love it. Just break into my house and steal all the crap you want, just don't sue me.
I know those bouncing houses all too well. My kids love them. So do I actually.
My town has a weekly free lawyer session at the library. I'm going to write down some scrounge related questions and pick his/her brain.
Ambull- if you are going to cut down trees 20' or higher on a persons property, the state of Maryland requires you have a license along with insurance etc. Stick with cutting up the downed stuff for now. That homeowner would be taking advantage of you.
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
What regulation is this? Trying to find something about it online. I'm reading a MD regulation on the DNR website. Saw this: Exceptions-license requirement does not apply to cutting firewood and timber for domestic use by the owner or his tenant. Also read something about trees on private property is the sole responsibility of the owner. I could understand if I was advertising and charging to cut down trees but not to do it for free/firewood purposes.
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
Just so there's no confusion, I'm not calling you a liar or doubting you in any way lol. I know nothing about MD state law regarding tree care/trimming. I just like to read and see things for myself. I don't really like to do the whole he said she said thing. This way, going forward, I'll know not to cut down 20' + trees because MD code ------- says I'm not allowed. Thanks
Some laws may only apply to fee for services work, or not. Call them and ask.
In my City, they said that they did not want homeowners getting hurt or hacking up trees that are hard to replace. Takes a lot of years for a large tree to grow, and only a few minutes for someone to hack it in a way that damages its growth. Even on private property, it could affect the character/value of the neighborhood, hit utilities, etc. Might not stand up to a court challenge, but that was their rationale. And boulevard trees belong to the City, except that the homeowner has to maintain the boulevard, but can't trim the trees, . . . . !
Philbert
In my City, they said that they did not want homeowners getting hurt or hacking up trees that are hard to replace. Takes a lot of years for a large tree to grow, and only a few minutes for someone to hack it in a way that damages its growth. Even on private property, it could affect the character/value of the neighborhood, hit utilities, etc. Might not stand up to a court challenge, but that was their rationale. And boulevard trees belong to the City, except that the homeowner has to maintain the boulevard, but can't trim the trees, . . . . !
Philbert
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
I will, that's why I'm going to speak to a lawyer!
All that makes perfect sense lol. Sounds sort of like my requirement to keep my portion of the sidewalk clear yet it's not really my property and is on the edge of my front yard.
mainewoods
Addicted to ArboristSite
All thanks to you fellers. Without your input this thread would have just been another blip, buried on the back pages. But the best part is that there has been over 91,000 views. Hopefully everyone that saw this thread got some helpful ideas out of it. It sure seems there is a lot of interest in scrounging firewood, so it should be helpful having all this shared knowledge and experience in one spot.
My only concern was when you thought about responding to the CL ad. If you were working on his property and something bad happened to yourself or his property, you could be exposing yourself to a lot of headaches from the state. Having said that, the state tries to enforce the requirement but really doesn't have the manpower or budget to do it. Just be aware our fine state has regulations on just about everything.
Just fired up that diesel earlier today I was working on. 
Thats 8 days of maintenance and I worked over 100 hours in that time. To hear that engine hunting on a cold start is like a symphony to my ears. There's nothing cooler than a 6300 hp on a cold start hunting, down right amazing I wish I had a video. 
Thats 8 days of maintenance and I worked over 100 hours in that time. To hear that engine hunting on a cold start is like a symphony to my ears. There's nothing cooler than a 6300 hp on a cold start hunting, down right amazing I wish I had a video. 
No video , didn't happen ...... LOL
Well, did some cutting on that lot I got permission to take firewood from about a week ago, but did not get over there till mid afternoon. Got some before pics, but the after will have to wait as it was dark by the time I was done.
The good news is the two Ash leaners I was most interested in were both still solid, so I'm going to harvest some good wood (in the pic, they are both leaning to the rt). Both trees have been cut to length.
With both of them, I started cutting the trunk out from under them, but they were both hung up in the same dead Elm tree, so when I got close I hooked my Maasden rope come along to them and pulled them down. Glad I did it that way. I cut the larger tree first, and I had to pull it a lot to get it to drop, then I did the smaller tree. When I pulled on that one, one of the large branches from the Elm broke off and came down with it. It cracked like crazy, but I'm not sure if I would have heard it running my saw, but either which way I'm glad I was further away from it when it happened. It really came crashing down!
You can see the Elm in the first pic, but it is blocked in the second pic, and the larger Ash is leaning more (about 45 degrees). They were not giants, but long trunks and good firewood!
I hope to get back there tomorrow and will take some more pics if I do.
The good news is the two Ash leaners I was most interested in were both still solid, so I'm going to harvest some good wood (in the pic, they are both leaning to the rt). Both trees have been cut to length.
With both of them, I started cutting the trunk out from under them, but they were both hung up in the same dead Elm tree, so when I got close I hooked my Maasden rope come along to them and pulled them down. Glad I did it that way. I cut the larger tree first, and I had to pull it a lot to get it to drop, then I did the smaller tree. When I pulled on that one, one of the large branches from the Elm broke off and came down with it. It cracked like crazy, but I'm not sure if I would have heard it running my saw, but either which way I'm glad I was further away from it when it happened. It really came crashing down!
You can see the Elm in the first pic, but it is blocked in the second pic, and the larger Ash is leaning more (about 45 degrees). They were not giants, but long trunks and good firewood!
I hope to get back there tomorrow and will take some more pics if I do.
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Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
True. I actually responded to the ad last night. Specifically asked him if there was anything around the trees that could be damaged lol. That's when he/she mentioned the house.
I'll definitely pass on the ad. Just going to concentrate on getting all of the road side scrounge up first.
Hey ambull.
Just a thought. Can you locate any private wood lots to cut from? That way you could be hauling full van loads of wood rather than a tree here or there.
Also what does MD law say about cutting downed wood from public land. I know in NY it's a no-no and MN is no problem.
Just a thought. Can you locate any private wood lots to cut from? That way you could be hauling full van loads of wood rather than a tree here or there.
Also what does MD law say about cutting downed wood from public land. I know in NY it's a no-no and MN is no problem.
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
Possibly. Since this is my first year, I'm just doing a feeling out process. Trying to see how hard/easy it is to find enough scrounge opportunities. If it's slim pickings, I may look into some type of pay to cut lots. If there is such a thing near me.
I've called a state forest near me. They used to give out permits to the public for downed trees. They no longer do that, not sure why.
steved
ArboristSite Guru
Check another state forest, might just be that one. The forests in Pennsylvania open and close wood cutting all the time. You rarely cut in the same place twice...
Ask about a fuel wood or fire wood cutting permit...
Ask about a fuel wood or fire wood cutting permit...
Ambull01
Addicted to ArboristSite
Will do. Should just drive on up to PA.
steved
ArboristSite Guru
$15/cord...six cords a year, permit is good for a month.
I found one of the Pa forests where nobody else cuts, had some bigger trees right next to the road. The only thing about cutting on the forest is getting the most bang for the buck...got to be able to move on it in a month, and haul a decent amount at one shot. That's why I had that 18ft/10k trailer setup to haul a cord at a time. I only had a small window and it was a haul to the cutting spot from the house.
I found one of the Pa forests where nobody else cuts, had some bigger trees right next to the road. The only thing about cutting on the forest is getting the most bang for the buck...got to be able to move on it in a month, and haul a decent amount at one shot. That's why I had that 18ft/10k trailer setup to haul a cord at a time. I only had a small window and it was a haul to the cutting spot from the house.
