Collecting in National Forest

Bonsai Barry

I'm looking for information about collecting in National Forests. I've sent several e-mails to the NFS regarding obtaining permits, etc. with no response. I'm sure there must be a permitting process.

Can anyone shed some light?

Thanks,
Barry

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Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

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TreeBay

I think you'd be better off with a phone call and a follow up snailmail letter. It's the government and Emails probably get trashed as often as not, if they aren't answered by robots

Good luck,

Matt

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Aurelius

I use to live where the vast majority of of a couple of counties were a combination of National and State forest land. To be quite honest, unless you planned on harvesting standing timber, they's look at you like you were a bit touched in the head.

DougDT

A few years ago I looked into this and the reply I received is that it is possible, but permission has to be received from the particular forest manager "ranger" in charge of the area you want to collect in, and the first step is to contact the regional office, and get the managers contact information. Start here http://www.fs.fed.us/
good luck,
I got no-where but was not very persistent.

Bonsai Barry

That's definately the opinion I got. The people I talked to informally didn't have a clue how to collect one or two tiny trees, but they could tell me how to harvest a few hundred acres of timber!

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Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

jguyett

You have to make a choice between National Forest, and National Park. You will never get permission to collect in a National Park. Permission is possible here in the National Forest, on the east coast. For example they allow rock hunting in the forest with no permit, and they allow with a permit collection of downed timber. Finding someone to give you the permission will be a problem.

Good luck with your yamadori.

jg

rockm

JG, which forest you talking about?

Just curious, as the contacts seem to shift with each forest manager you talk with. Here in Va., collection in National Forests is very problematic...

JLB

I live in the NW US and have collected in three different national forests. In each case a call to the local ranger office confirmed the possibilities of collecting. A permit was required. This was issued by the local FS office. The first two were free, the last one
cost $20. You need to identify the type of plants you want to collect and the areas where you will be collecting. The last time I did this was two years ago.

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JB

rockm

Thanks JB. I think the collecting situation is much different for national forests here in the east. Collection is pretty much left to those with private lands, as the forest service personnel in most of the National Forests around here won't give permission to take much of anything out of the parks.

They are extremely cautious about plant collectors, having had very bad experiences with for-profit collectors in the past, particularly (and perhaps ironically) collectors (and sellers) of native Ginseng.