Firewood

[IFallsRon]

I've never been asked or checked. I'm lucky to have several window/door/cabinet manufacturers locally who run their scrap cart out for anyone to pick through.

[flyfisher03]

[\quote] because we are dealing with the Emarald ASH borer. As I stated before, I have oak and birch in my woodpile, no ash.

[woodsmanmn]

Blackjack - There is no fee. All you have to do is verify the source of the wood. The part about treating it is if the wood comes from a bad area.

[chuckwagon]

would any lumber product (not treated or lamed ) be considerd clean wood since it has been debarked and is dead so to speak?

[perch_destroyer]

I got the same question, Can someone bring in a pile of scrap lumber to burn, being that it is construction grade 2 x 4, 2 x 6, so forth for burning..???? If so i'll just bring in some of that, not like the real stuff, but it's wood and it burns..

[Redlantern]

Perch, kiln-dried, unpainted, unstained dimensional lumber is allowed and you do not need to have a receipt with you to verify where you got it. So yes, according to the dnr HSOforum, you can bring it to burn. Wood from pallets is not allowed, though.

[Ryan_V]

that's pretty much all i bring anymore. I have a limitless supply. lantern is right though, no pallet wood, also no plywood, just untreated dimensional lumber.

[perch_destroyer]

Thanks, just got a new camper, so planning on hitting up some state parks this summer with family, appreciate the info guys, and thanks again. later.

[jigginjim]

If you would remove all nails or staples from pallet boards how would they know. I have wood from steel pallets, mostly all oak cut into 4x4 x 10ft long. I cut in down to 16" lengths, the cross board are pine all look like construction grade wood, much of it is. I split the fire starter pieces at home many times that is just 1x2 or 2x4 pieces.

[Redlantern]

Jiggin, not sure how they would know but why do it if you know they banned it? I think there is always a way of getting around laws but most people are honest and try to follow them.

[jigginjim]

That is why I use this wood, no bark, and cut to construction sizes. I went camping a few times, with no wood to be had for a fire, withing 6 miles of camp. After that I bring my own.

[Redlantern]

I was trying to be polite but what you're saying is that you are bringing banned wood into state parks? Please go back and review forum policy regarding illegal acts. If I misunderstand what you're saying, I apologize.

[ParkRangerRube]

I understand the frustrations for having to pay for firewood, especially when in many cases the firewood being brought into a campground is assumed to be (and probably is) clean. The problem is that it only takes one load of infested wood to create major problems. And these problems aren't only limited to emerald ash borer; there are also threats of spreading other pests including gypsy moth and fungal diseases such as oak wilt. On the issue of emerald ash borer, the assumption that a person is bringing in wood from non-infested areas may be incorrect. It is beleived that the borer colonies found in the metro area possibly existed for 4 years before being detected. That leaves a lot of time for wood to have been transported from a neighborhood assumed to be clean.

As for the issue of the prices of firewood both inside and outside of state parks...Gas station/grocery store prices are ridiculous, I'll give you that. I've seen places selling 5 pieces of firewood, left outside to saturate with moisture, for $6.00 a bundle. And in many cases, the wood sold at these places is not DNR/MDA certified anyway. As for firewood sold in state parks; $4.00/bundle may still seem steep for something a person may have sitting at home for free. But in many cases the firewood is sold only slightly above cost - with the additional expense used to cover transportation and handling. There is also the fact that if firewood is bought within the park, there is the convenience of not having to haul it with - and the assurance that infested wood is not being introduced.

And lastly, on the issue of dimensional lumber. The main reason pallet lumber is not allowed is due to the fact that it was through this medium that emerald ash borer was first introduced to the U.S. (through shipping pallets sent from China into Michigan). By using only kiln-dried lumber, the threat of pest and disease infestation is greatly diminished.

[woodsmanmn]

Thanks for the insight Rangerrube. Good information.

[Big Dave2]

I don't usually buy firewood at the parks, how many pieces are in a bundle these days? I would guess about 6 at the most, am I right?

At $4 per bundle that comes to about.67 cents per piece of wood. A full cord of wood will have approximately 800-1000 pieces of wood per FULL cord. That comes to about $600 per cord. If the State Parks can't buy fire wood for a LOT cheaper than that with the buying power the state has then I don't know who could. Looks to me that they are not selling for just above their cost as stated by parkranger rube, but more like almost tripleing their money.

[reinhard1]

yes firewood is not cheap at state parks. but any other wood is not allowed. so you're stuck. i see bundles at gas stations for 5 bucks. i have wood on my property but i buy the wood at the park. i'm retired and dont have money to throw around but i also know the cost of camping at state parks and the time i spend there is more valuable than the cost of wood. good luck.

[Big Dave2]

yes firewood is not cheap at state parks. but any other wood is not allowed. so you're stuck. i see bundles at gas stations for 5 bucks. i have wood on my property but i buy the wood at the park. i'm retired and dont have money to throw around but i also know the cost of camping at state parks and the time i spend there is more valuable than the cost of wood. good luck.

Just because I'm stuck doesn't mean I can't complain on an internet forum!!

[reinhard1]

hey, i hear ya. just a general statement of it is what it is. i dont like to spend the money sometimes to go to a movie but i go sometimes. good luck.

[Redlantern]

Well put, Reinhard. Fishing license fees go up, I don't like to pay more than I have to but I realize it's a hobby I enjoy and until they make it too expensive for me(which is obviously different for everyone) I'll continue to buy it.

I'm sure there is a high profit margin in it for the dnr but when I go out to eat, I don't tell the staff that I could have bought the same steak for a third of the price. I chose to go out to eat.

[Big Dave2]

Well put, Reinhard. Fishing license fees go up, I don't like to pay more than I have to but I realize it's a hobby I enjoy and until they make it too expensive for me(which is obviously different for everyone) I'll continue to buy it.

I'm sure there is a high profit margin in it for the dnr but when I go out to eat, I don't tell the staff that I could have bought the same steak for a third of the price. I chose to go out to eat.

I choose to go camping because it SHOULD be a cheaper option. If camping rates keep going up it's almost cheaper to rent a hotel room.

[upnorth]

Quote:

If camping rates keep going up it's almost cheaper to rent a hotel room.

I have paid up to $35 for a campsite The only reason we were willing to pay that much was the hotel rate were extremely expensive too.

[Ryan_V]

camping prices are rediculously high. We have small kids so we don't do state parks anymore, because they'd get too bored and drive us crazy. We go the the "family" campgrounds that have pools, petting zoos/etc, but you pay a hotel rate to stay there. Like said above, our family loves to do it, we spend quality time together, and it keeps us out of the house and the kids away from the tv, so until it gets to the point I can't do it either, we'll keep doing it. (I just bring waste dimensional lumber for burning, otherwise with my fires, it would be too expensive )

[reinhard1]

there are many campgrounds in this state. the cost of camping or going anywhere is certainly not going down. it depends what you want in a campground. the more you want the more it costs. my wife and i used to go to remote sites where the cost to be there was little, but no showers, and pit type toilets. still the cost of gas, groceries, and other supplies were there. now we go to state parks [bearhead] were we have everything we want. the cost is more along with gas and the food and more. we usualy camp with friends or family and we all share one fire and split the cost. at night we would all sit around one site [usualy mine because i do all the cooking also] and talk and enjoy the evening. so you make the best of it. we save up for the trips during the year so it dosen't become a sudden burden. good luck.