public woods and the law

[chrismechanic]

firstly, sorry for my ignorance on this question but i have had mixed results trying to search for an answer.

 

what is the law on collecting dead wood from public woods?

 

and why would you leave dead wood lying around and not clear it away?

 

if there was dead wood in a public woods near to me, would i get in trouble taking it, the tree looks like it has died from fungus, the trunk has snapped off at the base and it has fell to the ground.

 

also they have left a few dead trees (just the trunk, the branches have been removed) still in the ground, why is that please.

 

sorry if i have posted this in the wrong section, if so, moderator please move to the correct section.

thanks for you time/response,

chris

[Stubby]

firstly, sorry for my ignorance on this question but i have had mixed results trying to search for an answer.

 

what is the law on collecting dead wood from public woods?

 

and why would you leave dead wood lying around and not clear it away?

 

if there was dead wood in a public woods near to me, would i get in trouble taking it, the tree looks like it has died from fungus, the trunk has snapped off at the base and it has fell to the ground.

 

also they have left a few dead trees (just the trunk, the branches have been removed) still in the ground, why is that please.

 

sorry if i have posted this in the wrong section, if so, moderator please move to the correct section.

thanks for you time/response,

chris

 

Usually its left as habitat . Beetles grubs bats and the whole ecosystem that it creates .....

[Xaltu]

It really depends on what you are calling public woods. If you are referring to woods that the public have access but are owned by somebody, then only those people with express or applied permission can remove the wood. Any other removal is theft to my knowledge. Dead wood is a beneficial element in a woodland.

 

I am not sure how many woods have common rights left on them to take wood (Estovers), but this would be restricted the common right holders, not the wider general public.

[nepia]

This may help.

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/section/4

[AlexB]

firstly, sorry for my ignorance on this question but i have had mixed results trying to search for an answer.

 

what is the law on collecting dead wood from public woods?

 

Without permission it's theft.

 

and why would you leave dead wood lying around and not clear it away?

 

It provides habitat for fungi, lichens, mosses, insects and small mammals. Some times it is cleared if the soil conditions allow for biomass or if it would hinder further objectives for the site.

 

if there was dead wood in a public woods near to me, would i get in trouble taking it.

 

If you get caught without permission yes!

 

the tree looks like it has died from fungus, the trunk has snapped off at the base and it has fell to the ground.

 

That's good habitat. Leave it where it is.

 

also they have left a few dead trees (just the trunk, the branches have been removed) still in the ground, why is that please.

 

Raptor posts, this will help control the explosive mammal population which occurs as part of the succession post harvesting.

 

It also creates standing deadwood, good habitat for fungi, insects and birds especially woodpeckers.

 

sorry if i have posted this in the wrong section, if so, moderator please move to the correct section.

thanks for you time/response,

chris

 

If its not yours and you do not have written permission to collect it, it's best left on the ground. If the woods are public, this is for access. Not for the materials they contain.

[chrismechanic]

i thought the reply would be something like it is, but i also read about this common rights.

 

thanks for clarification guys i wont touch the dead wood.

i dont want to get

chris

[AlexB]

If you have rights over common land they will be conditional on where you live (and proberbly mentioned in the deeds to the property you live in). Public land and common land are two different things. Though as far as I'm aware common land refers more to grazing than timber.

[brynseiri]

I have this problem. We own a few acres of woodland as part of our farm, with a public footpath running through it. No one has any right to take wood from there except me, although, since millions of britains are fitting wood burners, people don't seem to mind bending the law and entering our wood via the footpath with a chainsaw and helping themselves as if they own the place. I will guarantee that 99% of forest and woodland on this island will be owned by someone, and removing timber of any kind will be theft. The log business is a good earner for some, but a nightmare for others.

[Nick H]

I run a country park and have a problem with people taking logs that we have processed for sale. When I say taking logs I don't mean two or three I am meaning trailer full loads. we have gates to stop vehicles but they just bring a wheel barrow after we have gone home. When I have approached them in the past all I get is I pay my council tax. Nobody can understand that it is classed as stealing. The police in the past have gone to peoples houses and exp[lained this. Now I look it all away.

[chrismechanic]

yes of course, i realize all land is owned by someone, i just wanted to be clear on the matter, (sometimes i read these documents and it don't make much sense to me) but the tree is soo tempting when your cold.

 

i would hate someone to steal my wood pile... i would like to get enough wood to last the winter too.

thanks guys..

chris