How Hard To Find Wood To Cut In Portland?

[seventyss]

Been thinking about getting a fireplace insert and heard from a pellet/woodstove dealer that it was getting hard to find decent wood and that the permits were expensive. Can anyone in my area (Portland Oregon) give the true scoop?

 

[kodiakfisher]

I live in the Portland, OR area and wood is easy to come by most of mine I get free or close to it.

Permits in the Portland area are very hard to get but it really depends on what your time is worth. If is worth a lot buy wood, if not casually cut it throughout the year for the next year. Great exercise anyways! If you head to Mt. Hood or towards Albany wood permits are a little easier.

I you have access to a big trailer let me know we can do a cut/load together and share what we get.

Kodiakfisher

 

[Breezio]

I was told with a simple forestry permit you could help up to the logging areas and grab all the left over wood you wanted on the ground... ?

 

[VThokie]

The US Forest Service used to issue permits to cut all down wood. Permits were free unless they've changed their policy

 

[luckycutter]

Another option is checking in with one of the timber companies. You will either have to make a few phone calls to get the right person, or have someone on the inside. Willamette Industries used to be pretty good about this, but the compamy that bought them out seems to limit acces to the land a bit more. The nickel ads, and other local papers have u-cut adds. Some are reasonable while others are outragous, but often times it is nearly the only way to get hardwoods. Either way you go, make darn sure you know what the rules and regulations are, or that cheap firewood will end up costing you the farm.

 

[2Coilinveins]

Check with the BLM and the forestry service. If you go, make sure you get up to date information on snow on the ground. Last time I went to a forestry woodcutting site, the person who sold me the permit($10 for two cords, cut within 2 weeks of purchasing the permit) said there was no snow on the ground, so I took my 2wd truck as it gets MUCH better mileage and hauls more. Gave up and turned around when the snow got hip deep.

Edit: LC makes a darn good point. I called around to the local logging companies some time ago and found one willing to deliver a truckload of culls equalling about 12 cords for $600. Economically it makes more sense for me to go that route than going to my friend's woodlot and hauling logs back here by the pickup and trailer load, but I LIKE my time in the woods.

 

[alderman]

I'm fortunate to have access to 60 acres of forestland. My brother and son in law have the same access but for some reason they continue to obtain permits from the Oregon State Forestry. I think for my brother, he enjoys the aggravation of dealing with them. They waste more wood then they ever give away and you have to be pretty quick when they open an area in order to get a permit and decent wood. I know when my cousin was working for an answering service in Portland, crews would list numbers with them following each wind storm. They were able to double dip by charging the home owner to clean up downed trees and then selling the wood. If you were able to contact one of them they might cut you a deal if you were to haul the wood away from the site.