What are Special Forest Products?

Learn how to correctly harvest Special Forest Products in the forest:

What are Special Forest Products?

Special Forest Products are items collected from National Forest System lands that include, but are not limited to:

bark

berries

boughs

bryophytes

bulbs

burls

cones

Christmas trees

ferns

firewood

forbs

mushrooms

grasses

mosses

nuts

pine straw

roots

sedges

seeds

transplants

tree sap

mine props

wildflowers

fence material

rails

fungi

posts & poles

shingle & shake bolts

Special Forest Products do NOT include:

sawtimber, pulpwood, non-sawlog material removed in log form, cull logs, small roundwood, house logs, telephone poles, derrick poles, minerals, animals, animal parts, insects, worms, rocks, water, and soil. If you wish to gather any of these contact your local Forest Service office.

It is a crime to remove Special Forest Products from the Forest unless otherwise authorized.  Anyone who does is subject to prosecution. Visit your nearest Gifford Pinchot Forest Service Office to obtain a permit to harvest Special Forest Products.

General Harvest Requirements

Harvest of Special Forest Products may be restricted by:

  • Quantity
  • Specific Methods
  • Specific Locations
  • Permit Length (number of days the permit is valid)
  • Season of Use

Special Forest Product Permit:

  • An authorization to remove products from National Forest System lands
  • Usually required; prices vary
  • Must be at least 18 years of age and present a government-issued ID
  • May be valid only on the forest where permit was issued
  • Permit does not guarantee successful harvest

There are four general categories for collecting Special Forest Products on National Forest lands.

  1. No Permit Required: Personal use within the Forest boundaries.
  2. Free Use: Small quantities for personal use.
  3. Charge Use: Quantities that exceed Free Use Limits or that are not offered under the Free Use Program
  4. Commercial Contract: Exclusive harvest right on a contract basis.

Special Forest Product Map

The Special Forest Products Map shows areas on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that are open to harvesting huckleberries, mushrooms, foliage, ferns, and other forest products. Removing forest products from the forest requires a permit, for both personal and commercial use. 

Please do your part:


Please do your part and respect the Forest by leaving it clean and free of trash! For more information on how you can help, please read the following information about practicing Leave No Trace principles. 

  • Follow the permit conditions.
  • Follow general rules and regulations for use of National Forest Systems lands, which are available at local offices.
  • Proper gathering of Special Forest Products will ensure that they are available in the future.
  • Remember, harvesting rare, threatened, or endangered plants is ILLEGAL.