The weather may still be warm, but those looking ahead to the cooler months are encouraged to make sure they are up to date with the correct information if planning on collecting firewood. Please keep in mind that illegal firewood collection harms the environment and there are laws as to where you can collect as well as how much and at what times. You can be reported for doing the wrong thing and potentially fined.
Neither Albury City nor City of Wodonga allow firewood collection from council roadsides or reserves. In New South Wales, you will need a permit to collect from State Forests and the price is dependent on the amount you collect. Once your permit is authorised, you will be issued a map that shows where you are able to collect. In Victoria, maps of collection areas are published online. The autumn collection period begins 1 April in New South Wales and 1 March in Victoria.
In all areas, IT IS ILLEGAL TO FELL STANDING TREES. Of paramount importance in ecosystems is wood that contains hollows – did you know it takes a tree around 100 years to create a hollow 10 cm big and 300 years or more for a hollow more than 20 cm big? One critter we have locally that uses the biggest of hollows is the greater glider (Petauroides volans) which is now sadly listed as endangered. We also have local populations of squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) that make use of the many nest boxes around the reserves. On top of bushfires that destroy habitat, illegal collection of firewood leads to less hollows available for the species that rely on them to survive.
While it is legal to remove fallen timber, Parklands would ask the public to please refrain from doing this as it is vital to the overall health of ecosystems. Fallen timber stores carbon from the atmosphere and improves the soil through water retention and the nutrients that are returned during decomposition. It can also help to lessen the effects of erosion, especially in hilly environments. Not least, fallen timber provides essential habitat for many animals such as our local native yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) who loves a ‘messy’ ground with plenty of logs to hunt and hide in.
Please follow the rules when collecting firewood and help protect our forests for the future. More information can be found at the links below:
