Forestry and Outdoor Recreation

Permits

Christmas Trees – Permits available November 1st

The Oneida County Forestry Department allows individuals to harvest up to two Christmas trees for personal home use in designated areas of the County Forest. A permit to harvest Christmas trees is required and can be obtained from the Oneida County Forestry Office.

Cost of a permit is $5.00 per tree, limit of two trees per permittee and one permit per household. Please refer to the Christmas Tree Permit for additional regulations regarding Christmas tree harvesting.

Burning Permits & Restrictions

Burning permits and restrictions for Oneida County are regulated through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Please click here for more information.

Firewood – Permits available June 1st

The Oneida County Forestry Department allows individuals to collect firewood for personal home use in designated areas of the County Forest.  A permit to gather firewood is required and can be obtained from the Oneida County Forestry Office.

Cost of a permit is $20 for Oneida County residents and $30 for non-residents.

Under this permit system the permittee is allowed to gather up to a maximum of 10 cords (a cord is a stack of wood 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long).

The County designates areas where permits will be issued. These areas are often closed out timber sales where hardwood limbs and non-merchantable wood is left by the loggers. Only wood that is lying on the ground may be gathered. No standing trees may be cut. No standing trees may be cut.

Vehicle access is limited to open logging trails (trails that are not blocked by gates, berms, or rocks). Vehicles (including ATVs, tractors, and the like) are not permitted off the logging roads.

Hand carrying or the use of wheelbarrows or hand carts is allowable for transporting firewood to the open logging roads.

Permits run from June 1st through March 15th.

Due to changing weather conditions, access to the areas is not guaranteed. Wind blown trees and wet ground may make areas difficult to access at times.

The entire state of Wisconsin is under quarantine for the Emerald Ash Borer. For more information, visit the EAB website.

Firewood Maps

Town of Enterprise

Town of Little Rice

Town of Lynne

Town of Nokomis/Woodboro

Balsam Boughs – Permits available October 1st

Boughs can only be collected from October 1st – December 31st. Additional rules are as follows:

  1. No boughs shall be cut within 25 feet of public roads, rivers, lakes.
  2. No cutting on the top 1/3 of the tree.
  3. No cutting of boughs on trees less than eight feet tall.
  4. All branches are to be cut up tight to the tree and unused portions scattered.
  5. No axes are to be used in cutting boughs.
  6. Only balsam fir boughs may be collected.  No other trees will be cut or damaged.
  7. Permit is valid for gathering balsam boughs on Oneida County Forestry Lands, except County Parks, Picnic Areas, Boat Landings and Timber Sale areas.  No cutting shall be permitted during the gun deer season.
  8. The permittee agrees to comply with the state timber theft, slash, fire, and litter laws No gathering may be conducted during emergency forest fire bans.