FOREST Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) has announced changes to firewood collection regulations on public land in Central Victoria from next month “to ensure greater access into the future”.
Under the new changes, firewood collection from designated areas in state forests within parts of Central Victoria will be restricted to residents of specific local shires.
Visitors from interstate and other parts of Victoria will no longer be able to access firewood from state forests in Central Victoria.
FFMVic forest planning team leader Amy Groch said the changes would maintain a more sustainable domestic firewood supply for local residents and communities in Central Victoria.
“While firewood is free to collect, supply is not unlimited,” Ms Groch said.
“This means firewood needs to be managed responsibly to ensure environmental sustainability.
“These new restrictions have been introduced following extensive community consultation.
“We want to remind the community that firewood can only be taken from designated firewood collection areas in state forests during approved autumn and spring collection seasons, from March 1 to June 30 and from September 1 to November 30, respectively.
“Designated firewood collection areas are selected for a range of reasons including the availability of firewood, community safety, and to protect sites of cultural and environmental significance.”
The permitted local government areas who will have access to firewood from Central Victorian state forests are Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Gannawarra, City of Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hepburn, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mitchell, Mt Alexander, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees and Strathbogie councils.
Restrictions are still in place for firewood collection near Cohuna.
Only residents from Campaspe, Gannawarra, Loddon and Swan Hill can collect from Gunbower State Forest.
Firewood collectors may be asked to prove their address when collecting firewood.
An interactive map of designated firewood collection area locations will be available on March 1 until June 30 at www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood.
