Forest Products Permits
Special Forest Products are products or natural resources that are not the traditional timber and fiber products. Examples include floral greenery, Christmas trees and boughs, mushrooms, transplants (trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants), cones, medicinal plants, cuttings, herbs, nuts, berries, decorative wood, and pitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
A permit must be obtained prior to harvesting and collecting most forest products. As part of issuing a permit, we let people know how they harvest sustainably, safely, and responsibly. These instructions will help our customers remove the product in the most ecologically sound manner.
Most product permits require payment of at least $20.00, depending on the amount purchased and market value of the product being harvested. Product prices depend on the availability of the product and are based on a percentage of the fair market value.
Free use permits are available for non-commercial amounts of most special forest products for personal use. These permits are for amounts that are more than "incidental" amounts and less than the amount that can be purchased for the minimum $20 charge permit. Each person is allowed only $20 in free use permits during any one calendar year. Availability of free use permits depend on the amount wanted and the product desired.
The amount of Special Forest Products harvested on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is limited to promote the viability of the species harvested and to account for important ecological interactions, such as those between special forest product species and pollinators, wildlife, and other plants.
- Call your closest District Office and find out whether the product you want to collect is available.
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Offices
- Visit the District Office with valid photo identification issued by the U.S. Federal Government or State Government.
- Be prepared to pay for your permit. Offices accept cash, check, and all major credit cards.
- At the District Office, obtain either a:
- Free Use Permit: Small quantities of products collected for your use only. Anything obtained for free cannot be sold, traded or bartered.
- Personal Use Permit: Large quantities of products collected for personal use. There is a minimum charge of $20.
- Commercial Use Permit: Products collected for commercial resale. Minimum charge of $20 applies. All products may not be available at each District Office.
- Keep the permit and your identification with you at all times while harvesting.
- Have fun!
- Support sustainable management and conservation of these species through strict adherence to your permit conditions.
- Be familiar with and practice Low impact and Ecologically Sensitive Collection Techniques.
- Harvest in a manner that minimizes disturbance to the forest floor’s leaf layer and soil.
- Harvest only what you can reasonably use or sell while not gathering too much from any one site (ex. mushroom patch) or any one plant (ex. bough or leaf gathering).
- Leave it better than you found it! A good harvest site has no trash, litter, or visible human waste and is difficult to tell apart from the surrounding forest to a casual observer.
- For the protection of species and to ensure your own health, it is also vitally important for you to be able to correctly identify species.
- Many areas open to the harvest of special forest products are remote and have steep terrain.
- Always let someone know where you plan to be and when you expect to return.
- Check weather and road conditions before leaving home.
- Be prepared for unexpected and rapidly changing weather.
- Some Forest Service and BLM roads are not maintained in the winter.
- Some public roads are only drivable by high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles.
- Carry tire chains, a saw, shovel, gloves, boots, flashlight, first aid kit, additional water and food, and other appropriate equipment and supplies.
- Observe all fire regulations and closures, carry the required fire tools, and stay updated to current fire weather conditions and adhere to current fire precautions.
A permit is typically required to harvest special forest products on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. For minor amounts of forest products that are for one’s direct personal use a permit may not be required. The following guide lists the products and the amounts that may be harvested under incidental use without charge and without the need of a permit when these products are used for your own use.
Printable Incidental Use Guide (2020)
Incidental Use Map: Gold Beach Ranger District
Incidental Use Map: High Cascades Ranger District
Incidental Use Map: Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District
Christmas Trees
Some of our conifer trees make ideal Christmas trees, and for $5 a tree, you can bring home the holiday magic from your National Forest!
Firewood
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest provides free permits to the public to collect firewood for personal use.
Mushrooms
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has mushrooms that are edible and commonly collected. Harvesting responsibly and ethically is important!
Cones
Some of our trees have ideal cones for decorative uses such as wreaths, potpourris, and other crafts. Some species’ cones are also collected to collect seed to grow the plants themselves.
Berries and More
Huckleberries. Wild strawberries. Black cap raspberries. These are just a few of the wild berry species people enjoy on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest!
Beargrass, Ferns, and Foliage
Beargrass, ferns, and foliage are often used in floral arrangements, and it's wise to know the best ways to collect these unique forest products.
Medicinals
Some of our plant species have unique chemical properties with medicinal qualities.
Boughs
Some species are used for bough collection. Species that are common and can be harvested in a sustainable manner may be made available for collection.
Poles, Transplants, and Specialty Woods
Whether you're looking to enhance a landscaping project or procure some poles from the forest, please learn the sustainable and ethical way to do so!