The Spring firewood collection season opens today (Saturday 1 September) and will run until the end of November in the two local sites.
Firewood can only be collected within the designated domestic firewood collection areas and during a domestic firewood season.
Importantly it is illegal to sell firewood from firewood collection areas.
Locations in the Dimboola area include -
- Barrett West Sugar Gum Plantation, Wallup East
- Wail East Sugar Gum Plantation, Wail
Domestic Firewood Collection Rules
- Please ensure that you only collect fallen or felled trees
- You many not collect more than 2 cubic metres per person per day. Note: 1 cubic metre is approximately a 1.8 metre x 1.2 metre trailer of split firewood, neatly stacked to a height of 0.5 metres
- Do not collect more than 16 cubic metres per household per financial year
- Note also that it is illegal to sell firewood collected from domestic collection areas or to use the wood in a commercial enterprise
- Heavy vehicles (greater than 4.5 tonne GVM including any trailer) must not be brought into or used in a domestic firewood collection area
- Heavy machinery (e.g. a bulldozer, crane, excavator, forwarder, hydraulic log splitter, saw bench, skidder, skid steer loader and tractor) must not be brought into, or used, in a firewood collection area
- Do not tow or winch fallen or felled trees along the ground
- Do not collect firewood within 20 metres of a watercourse
- Do not drive your vehicle off formed roads or tracks
- Do not cut, break off or damage standing trees or shrubs (living or dead)
- Do not take away fallen or felled trees that are visibly hollow or growing moss or fungi with a coverage of greater than 50 percent
- Do not damage, disturb or destroy native flora and fauna
- Do not injure, damage, deface, desecrate, destroy or remove cultural heritage sites and artefacts
- Take all litter with you when you leave
- Do not enter the forest on days of Code Red Fire Danger rating
- Do not use chainsaws on days of Total Fire Ban
- Use only chainsaws fitted with a proper exhaust and spark arrester
- Only refill chainsaw oil and fuel on an impermeable surface
Safety
Please take care of yourself and others at all times when collecting firewood. In particular:
- avoid collecting firewood when conditions are wet, windy or hot
- assess your work area for hazards before you commence your work
- avoid working near hazards
- avoid working alone, or with children
- be trained and competent in the use of firewood collection equipment (including chainsaws) and use well maintained equipment
- wear appropriate safety clothing and equipment
Hazards
Hazards found in designated firewood collection areas may include, but are not limited to:
- broken overhead branches, dead standing trees
- uneven or slippery ground conditions
- vehicles
- mine shafts
- snakes and stinging insects
More details about the Firewood Collection Season can be found on the Forest Management Victoria website
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