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Forest Product Permits
Botanical Collecting Permits
If you are interested in collecting plant materials from the Cleveland National Forest, please be advised of the following:
- Requests should be submitted at least 8 weeks in advance, but no later than January 15th, for spring collection due to the large number of requests.
- No commercial collecting allowed. For all requests, include a copy of the study design, list of requested species, quantities, and a map of proposed collecting locations.
- Collection requests should be submitted via email or hard copy to the Forest Botanist at the Supervisors Office.
Firewood Collecting Permit
The Cleveland National Forest is just one of many forests offering firewood collection permits to the public. This program plays an important role in ongoing forest management. It will be offered as long as wood collection does not conflict with other resources and activities, such as forest health protection, reforestation, wildlife habitat management, and fire prevention. It should be noted that purchasing a personal use firewood permit allows for collections solely on the Cleveland National Forest and does not permit collections on private lands or lands under jurisdiction by local, state, or other federal government agencies including national forests.
A permit can be obtained by contacting the Descanso, Palomar or Trabuco district offices by phone or email to arrange the issuance and mailing of the permit and associated documents. Permittees should plan for a 5 to 7 day lead time from time of issuance to receive the permit by mail prior to heading onto Cleveland National Forest System lands to cut or collect firewood.
Please note the following:
- Permits are valid for the calendar year in which they are purchased and cannot be extended or modified.
- Permits are issued with an accompanying district fuelwood map and load tags to be used while transporting firewood off national forest lands.
- Firewood collecting permits are available year around, however collection areas are subject to wet weather or fire closures at any time.
- Firewood cutting and gathering areas are limited to existing dead and down wood within 100 feet of roads as shown on the respective district firewood maps.
- A total of 5 cords may be purchased per household, per calendar year.
Descanso Ranger District
Over the course of 2019 and into 2020, the Descanso Ranger District had suspended the sales of oak firewood while reevaluating its firewood program in light of increased levels of goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) mortality in the local area, as well as, GSOB’s expansion north into San Diego County communities and wildlands while also infesting satellite locations in Orange and Riverside Counties mainly through the movement of infested firewood. As a result of reevaluating the program internally and with input from past permittees; the District has decided to again issue personal-use oak firewood permits to qualified permittees. Starting in 2020, the Descanso Ranger District begun issuing personal use firewood permits for the collection of dead and down oak trees in permitted areas shown on the Districts Personal-use Firewood map under the following conditions:
- Permittee resides within the administrative boundary of the Descanso Ranger District were GSOB activity is known.
- At time of issuance, permittees shall present proof of residency through a valid form of identification or a utility bill that shows physical address of permittee and can be verified by Forest Service.
- Oak firewood gathered under the permit is for personal-use and will not be resold, bartered, or given away to a member of the public that resides outside of the Districts boundary.
For those members of the public that qualify, a minimum of 1 cord of oak may be purchased with an associated cost of $25.00. Additional cords of oak firewood may be purchased in $25.00 increments up to the maximum of 5 per household per calendar year.
The District will continue to monitor the sale of oak firewood through the Personal-use Firewood Program and make changes as is necessary to balance the local needs of home heating while limiting impacts to natural and cultural resources.
For all permittees living outside the administrative boundary of the District, non-oak personal-use firewood permit sales will continue to be offered, with cuttings and collection limited to conifer species including pine, incense cedar, and white fir. A minimum of 2 cords must be purchased with an associated cost of $20.00. Additional cords may be purchased in $10.00 increments up to the maximum of 5 per household. Please see the Descanso Collection Map for designated collection areas.
The Forest Service makes no guarantee as to quantity and availability of wood at designated collection areas. It is recommended that prospective permittees visit the sites prior to purchasing a permit. Wood may become available throughout the year as a result of ongoing forest management activities. Interested individuals should contact the Descanso Ranger District.
Palomar Ranger District
The Palomar Ranger District began selling personal-use firewood permits on August 1, 2021. Firewood cutting and gathering is limited to conifers, including pine species, incense cedar, white fir, and big cone Douglas-fir.A minimum of 2 cords must be purchased with an associated cost of $20.00. Additional cords may be purchased in $10.00 increments up to the maximum of 5 per household. Dead and down oak species cannot be collected. Please see the Palomar Collection Map for designated collection areas.
The Forest Service makes no guarantee as to quantity and availability of wood at designated collection areas. It is recommended that prospective permittees visit the sites prior to purchasing a permit. Wood may become available throughout the year as a result of ongoing forest management activities. Interested Individuals should contact the Palomar Ranger District
Trabuco Ranger District
The Trabuco Ranger District began selling personal-use firewood permits on August 1, 2021. Firewood cutting and gathering is limited to conifers, including pine species, incense cedar, white fir, and big cone Douglas-fir. A minimum of 2 cords must be purchased with an associated cost of $20.00. Additional cords may be purchased in $10.00 increments up to the maximum of 5 per household. Dead and down oak species cannot be collected. Please see the Trabuco Collection Map for designated collection areas.
The Forest Service makes no guarantee as to quantity and availability of wood at designated collection areas. It is recommended that prospective permittees visit the sites prior to purchasing a permit. Wood may become available throughout the year as a result of ongoing forest management activities. Interested Individuals should contact the Trabuco Ranger District