The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Taos Field Office will be selling fuelwood permits for personal-use to the public starting Oct. 3, 2016. The cost of the fuelwood permit is $12.00 per cord. Members of the public can purchase a minimum of one cord and up to eight cords per person.
BLM fuelwood permits are valid for 30 days. Permit sales will end on Dec. 31, 2016. Permits can be purchased with cash, checks, or credit/debit cards. The BLM cannot accept $100 bills.
Maps of open wood cutting areas, along with all rules concerning fuelwood collection, will be available at the time of purchase. For maps on fuelwood areas, please visit: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/more/forestry.html.
BLM fuelwood permits are valid for cutting only dead and down or dead and standing piñon and juniper (cedar). Cutting green trees or other trees not mentioned is strictly prohibited.
Some BLM public lands are closed to fuelwood cutting to protect sensitive resources, such as endangered species.
* San Antonio Wilderness Study Area
* Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area
* Ojo Caliente Wilderness Character Area
* Ute Mountain
* La Cienguilla/La Cienega ACEC
* Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River Corridor
* Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River Corridor
* Guadalupe Mountain (where hunting is excluded)
* Rio Grande Gorge (rim to rim)
* Orilla Verde Recreation Area
* Wild Rivers Recreation Area
* Taos Valley Overlook
* Santa Cruz Lake
Penalties for cutting or removing wood from BLM lands without a valid fuelwood permit can be more than $300. Fines for cutting green trees start at $300, with a $50 fine for each additional tree. At the discretion of a BLM Law Enforcement Officer, illegally cut fuelwood and any equipment used, such as chainsaws, trailers, and even vehicles, can be confiscated from illegal woodcutters.
For more information, please contact BLM Forester, Elyssa Duran at 575-758-8851.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
