News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters area woodcutters can oil up their chainsaws and head for the woods.
The firewood-cutting season opened on the Sisters Ranger District April 1 and will run through November 30. Four areas are designated for wood-cutting: Green Ridge, Pole Creek, Three Creeks and the West Metolius area.
The West Metolius area will not be open for cutting until June 1 to allow soils to dry out.
Woodcutting permits are available at the Sisters Ranger District offices and at Hoyt's Hardware. Permits cost $10 per cord and there is a limit of eight cords per family.
According to Alan Heath Special Forest Products Manager for the district, woodcutters can take any species of standing or downed dead trees except ponderosa pine. Standing tamarack, a deciduous tree can only be felled from May 15 through October 15 so that cutters don't mistakenly cut down a tree that only appears to be dead.
Heath said tree cutting rules -- which are detailed in the permit -- are similar to last year's with one significant exception. This year, the Sisters Ranger District is allowing the cutting of standing dead Douglas fir up to a 22-inch stump diameter.
"We're going to be watching that stump diameter, too," Heath said. "We need to hang on to that big stuff."
The forest service is allowing the cutting of dead Douglas fir because there is more standing dead than is needed for wildlife habitat, Heath said.
Cutting areas are marked with signs on the ground and Heath noted that there are boundary changes in the Green Ridge and West Metolius areas.
"One thing they need to watch out for is posted timber sale units," Heath said. "Wood cutting is not allowed in timber sale units."
Heath said that the forest service insists on a 12-inch stump height; cutters should re-cut the stump if it is too high after the take down a tree.
Woodcutters may want to wait a bit, though, before they head out to lay in next year's firewood.
"There's quite an accessibility problem right now," Heath said. "My advice is to wait a couple of weeks."
Heath said there is still a lot of snow on the ground and what isn't snow covered is soggy.
Woodcutters should keep safety in mind in the woods, Heath noted. He recommended minimum protection of safety glasses, ear plugs and chaps for cutters and he urged caution when taking on standing dead timber.
"People have to work within their own comfort level," Heath said. "If they're not comfortable dumping trees, they shouldn't be doing it.
"There's plenty of down stuff out there for people to use."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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