Collecting firewood in the forest: what is allowed and what is penalized
9 November 20:15
With the onset of the cold season, Ukrainians are increasingly looking for ways to provide themselves with firewood. However, not everyone knows that even when collecting forest resources, there are clear rules in place, and fines are imposed for violating them.
This is stated in the Forest Code of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
What is allowed to be collected without a permit
According to current regulations, everyone can freely collect
- dry branches, needles, leaves and bark that are already on the ground;
- berries, mushrooms, and herbs – if they do not belong to rare or endangered species.
Such actions do not require special permits if they do not harm the environment.
What is strictly prohibited
Violations include:
- cutting down trees, even dry ones, without the consent of the forestry enterprise;
- unauthorized harvesting of firewood without a logging ticket;
- exporting large volumes of wood without documents.
Such actions are treated as illegal logging and entail administrative or even criminal liability.
How to act legally
To harvest firewood legally, you need to:
- contact the local forestry department;
- obtain a permit or logging ticket;
- comply with certain conditions regarding the location, volume, and type of wood.
Experts advise not to take risks and not to collect wood on your own: you can find out about officially authorized areas for collecting wood in forestry enterprises or buy firewood legally. The law strictly protects natural resources, so even an “innocent” collection can result in a fine.
