Harvest of Non-Commercial Forest Products for Personal Use

Harvesting of mushroom, berries, floral greens and other resources for personal use provides enjoyment to many people who like to venture out on forested state trust lands. This activity is allowed with specific conditions, and there is no fee for this harvesting.

Harvesting of any forest products from DNR-managed campgrounds and picnic sites, Natural Area Preserves or Natural Resources Conservation Areas is prohibited, unless the harvest is specifically included in the site’s management plan. 

Limits
Personal use forest products may NOT be sold or bartered.

Mushrooms
Three gallons of a single species, not to exceed nine gallons plus one mushroom per day per person.

Berries
Three gallons of a single species, not to exceed nine gallons per day, per person.

Fiddle Head Ferns
The new growth of bracken ferns, fifteen gallons per person, per day.

Cones
Not to exceed fifteen pounds of dropped cones per day.

Bear Grass
Not more than five pounds per person per day.

Conks
Not more than five conks of any species per day.

Firewood
Firewood up to six cords per person per year. Firewood is not always available. For personal use firewood cutting information, see DNR’s webpage. 

DNR staff cannot give advice or directions to locations where these forest products can be found; please do not call or write requesting such. The products and limits listed above are NOT items that the regions must make available to the public; they are subject to natural availability, and you must make reasonable efforts to avoid resource or environmental damage. Leave some for the next person, and be sure that the forest product you are harvesting can renew itself.
 
Commercial versus personal use harvesting of forest products
State trust lands are managed to earn revenue for the state’s public schools and universities, so harvest of certain products for commercial gain is handled through permits and leases, and most of the funds go to the trusts.

• If you are interested in obtaining commercial access to a large parcel of trust land, for harvest of tree boughs, salal, bear grass and/or other decorative forest products, please contact the DNR region for the area in which you are interested.
  
• If you want to harvest forest products for your own personal use, follow the guidelines listed above.