Shire urges appropriate firewood collection

Winter is upon us and with many home fireplaces now ablaze the Shire of Augusta Margret River is urging people to refrain from sourcing their wood from Shire Reserves, Crown Land, and National Parks. The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions provides options for legally collecting wood without a permit, providing it is taken from a designated area, is for personal use only, and is already fallen timber.   Load limits apply with a maximum of one tonne may be removed every 60 days between 1 June to 30 September. A maximum of one tonne can only be removed on any one occasion between 1 October to 31 May. As a guide, half a tonne equates to approximately a 6 x 4 trailer loaded 30cm deep. Shire of Augusta Margaret River CEO Stephanie Addison-Brown said the Margaret River Region is a biodiversity hotspot and people would cause environmental damage by removing wood from non-approved sources. “There is strong demand for firewood at this time of year as you would expect,” she said. “There are plenty of approved suppliers and opportunity to legally collect your own. “Please play by the rules so that important native habitats and ecosystems can be preserved.” Information about collecting firewood for personal use can be found on the DBCA website here and pdf and online maps are here The maximum penalty for clearing without a permit is $250,000.