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Show As more people gather wood from national forests for heating their homes, the problem of wood stealing is ever increasing and could force government intervention. Presently the focus of attention has been between mine prop cutters and local wood getters for fireplaces or stoves. "Over $2000 in stacked mine props were stolen from the mountain in one weekend," said Richard Perry prop cutter, Lapoint. Half of ' the stolen props were relocated in wood piles in the Vernal arpa. Perry cited other offenses of wood getters as stealing chainsaws, axes, shooting out tires and other vandalism. Larger commercial operators are being affected also. "We dumped a load of wood along 'hp road." said Bill Sweeney, Great Lake Timber, "and the next day it was eone " Une source ol the problem is the increasing number of free use permits (6,400) allowed this year has increased more than ten times the amount of prop cutter permits (580), Perry said. What the mine prop cutters are asking the Forest Service for is some kind of restrictions to protect their business. Don't get me wrong," Perry said, "we want wood getters up on the mountain, but wp need some control." "All operators have the same problems," added Sweeney, "but it would take a thousand people to watch a thousand cutters in order to enforce any restriction." The Forest Service to date has not made any restrictions on wood cutters, but they are seeking input from responsible persons about how to solve the problem. "We have been pretty lenient with wood cutters, ' said Vaughn Francis, district ranger, "allowing them to go anywhere in the district." "I hope we don't have so much fpct'in between wood getters and prop cutters that the government will have to step in," he added. One suggested solution to the problem is to have ditterent designated areas for wood getters and mine prop cutters. But Francis points out that most people like to cut wood where they picnic or hunt. A concerned wood getter sees the problem as a "few law-breaking leaches who are too la7v to do their own woik We need stiffer penalties imposed on those known offenders. All wood cutters need to be on the watch for offenders and turn them in or lose their own privileges." "I feel that prop cutters should petition the Forest Service for better enforcement of laws and forget a lot of other items that might cause government govern-ment intervention. I am appauled to think that these prop cutters are so naive as to think they can stir up trouble and not cause government intervention to the point that it will be detrimental to their own business, not to mention the law abiding fireplace wood cutters,'' said a Tridell wood getter. Un the other hand, "wood getters shouldn't be so naive to think that wood in piles does not belong to anyone," commented Francis. Both the wood getter and the prop cutter provides service to the forest in cleaning up dead wood, reducing fire hazards and creating better wildlife habitat. "By taking out old wood, I see great improvements in the looks of the forest," Francis said. "The problem of wood cutting is caused by a minority, but it is going to become more an issue as people want to get more wood," Francis concluded. |
