Forest resource permits

Citizens may go onto the national forest to collect certain materials but a permit to do so is required. The permit for personal-use firewood used to cost $5 but is now free. Free firewood permits are only valid during the current firewood season for the forest on which they are issued. Forest supervisors will designate free use firewood areas on all or parts of units that are compatible with land management plans and will establish the annual limit on the number of cords of free use an individual may collect.

A valid permit is required for both free-use and commercial/personal-use collection of general mushroom species. Everyone must have a valid permit and a harvest area map in their possession to gather, transport, or sell mushrooms gathered on participating national forests. Harvesters must be 18 or older and have valid identification to purchase a permit. Matsutake mushrooms may not be harvested on the Sisters Ranger District.

There are two dry cone permits available when the season opens May 1: a 10-day permit for $20 with no limit on the number of bushels picked within that time (a maximum of six 10-day permits are allowed per season) and a 60-day permit for $100, which also has no limit on the number of bushels picked (only one permit can be issued per person during the season).

Permits are required to collect native plants. Free-use permits authorize collection of 16 plants, four of which can be trees, for free. They cannot be resold or bartered. Permits are valid for three months. Personal-use permits authorize the collection of larger amounts of plants for a $20 minimum charge. Quantities are detailed on the permit. Commercial-use permits authorize businesses to collect plants for resale. Only the plants listed in the “Collecting Native Plants” brochure are allowed for collection. The brochure is required to be present while collecting plants.

Christmas tree permits are $5 each and are available at Recreation.gov or in Sisters at Bi-Mart, Mainline Station, Sisters Ace Hardware, Sisters Rental, and at the Camp Sherman Store.

Other special forest products are available by permit including boughs, bark, dead limbs, decorative wood, and pine needles.

Contact Jeremy Fields, forest products specialist, at the Sisters District Ranger Station 541-549-7701 for more information.