Resources

Craigslist
Local Tree cutting services
Other methods
Federal and State Cut-Your-Own Firewood Programs

Craigslist
The most obvious source of free firewood is on Craigslist. Lots of people take down trees and offer it to whoever is willing to cart it away. Sometimes its cut to wood stove lengths, usually its green, sometimes it disappears quickly, and it’s almost always good to have a pick-up, if you are interested in quantity.

Local tree cutting services
A lesser known, but excellent way to get free firewood is by contacting local tree cutting services in your area and see if they ever have extra wood that they need to offload. This may be rare in northern New England, where wood is valued, but in my area in the mid-Atlantic, tree cutters often have to pay to dispose of their wood and they are more than happy to drop it off in your driveway. You will then need to split it, stack and dry it. Some companies have sign-up forms on their websites because they are actively looking for easy ways to dispose of wood from trees that your neighbor may be cutting, or that come down in a storm.

For more ideas how to get free fuel wood, check out these sites:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Tree-Service-Recycles-Wood
http://housewares.about.com/od/heatingproducts/qt/freefirewood.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/Free-Wood

Federal and State Cut-Your-Own Firewood Programs
While not free, National Forests and many state forests, allow you to cut your own wood for as little as $10 per cord. You’ll need a chain saw, a pick-up truck or rental trailer If you would like to use a woodstove to heat your home and do not have access to your own source of wood, it may be worthwhile to look into programs in your area which allow cutting on public lands. In 1982 the Forest Service issued 655,000 permits to cut firewood on national forest land. Managers estimate that 2.8 million cords were cut. This shows an extraordinary demand for firewood that is still little understood or appreciated. The Alliance is trying to obtain more recent figures to show current usage from national forests.

National Forests
Every National Forest Ranger District has a firewood policy. They often issue permits to cut wood under certain conditions and in certain areas. To find your closest National Forest, check Maps and Links to National Forests and Parks By State . The cost is usually between $10-20 per cord, with a cord purchase minimum. You must provide your own chainsaw and have a tractor or truck to transport the wood you cut.

State Programs
Several states in New England have statewide firewood programs, so state forests do not each require their own program. In Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, cutting is available on public land with a different permit than those used by the National Forest programs. We’ve compiled information about programs in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont but many other states probably have cut-your-own programs.

Connecticut
The Division of Forestry issues cutting permits for Connecticut state forests. Residents can purchase wood at $30 per cord, in units of either two or four cords. Poorly formed, unhealthy, and low-value trees are marked with orange paint to indicate that they are available for firewood permit holders to cut. Utility companies may also offer firewood cutting permits on their forested land. Firewood Program Applications are accepted starting in January of the calendar year. Please contact the Division of Forestry at dep.forestry@ct.gov for an application.

Maine
The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands offers firewood permits to individuals with a chain saw and pickup truck. Foresters mark suitable firewood trees near roads, for easier hauling and minimal disruption deeper into the forest. Firewood is sold for $25 per cord, with a 10-cord maximum for any one permit holder each year.
Call the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands at 207-941-4014 for more information.

New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands offers cut-your-own programs on several state reservations. Residents can cut a maximum of two cords during the cutting season, at $25 per cord. All permits are for dead and down wood only, and individuals must have their own truck, chain saw, and basic safety equipment.
To obtain a permit, contact the Division of Forests and Lands at 172 Pembroke Road, PO Box 1856, Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1856, Tel. 603-271-2214.

New Jersey
The New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry allows firewood cutting for personal use in 5 participating state parks and forests. The wood is sold for $20 per cord, up to a maximum of five cords during the cutting season. Permit holders can cut and remove their firewood from standing timber in designated areas.
For a permit, call or visit one of the following areas for reservations:

Northern New Jersey High Point State Park 1480 State Highway 23 Sussex, NJ 07461-3605 (973) 875-4800	Stokes State Forest 1 Coursen Road Branchville, NJ 07826 (973) 948-3820
Southern New Jersey Bass River State Forest 762 Stage Road Tuckerton, NJ 08087 (609) 296-1114 (609) 861-2404	Belleplain State Forest County Route 550 PO Box 450 Woodbine, NJ 08270 (609) 726-1191
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest P.O. Box 215 Route 72 East, Milepost 1 New Lisbon, NJ 08064

New York
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation offers cut-your-own firewood permits for State Forest land in Chenango, Madison, and Broome counties. They use a lottery system to sell cords of wood for $15.00 per cord, in units of three, five, or ten cords. Trees are marked for cutting off-road, and permit holders must provide their own chain saw and 4-wheel drive truck for access and hauling. For applications and additional information on the homeowner firewood program, contact the DEC in Sherburne for Chenango and Madison Counties at (607) 674-4017 or Kirkwood for Broome County at (607) 775-2545.

Vermont
Vermont’s “Wood Warms” initiative offers firewood to low and middle income households in two formats. Split firewood from loggers is available for pick-up through a voucher system, and 50 small roadside lots in state forests or on state lands are marked for cut-your-own permitted systems. Cut-your-own wood is available in three cord units for $10 per cord. The heating assistance initiative has already generated over 1,600 cords of wood for low-income Vermonters. The following are the areas (and contact info) that will have individual firewood lots in 2009: -Barre District (802-476-0170): Lots located in the towns of Orange, Morristown & Roxbury. -Springfield District (802-885-8845): Lots located in the towns of Bridgewater, Cavendish, Grafton, Ludlow, Plymouth, Rockingham, Sharon, Weathersfield & Weston. -Rutland District (802-786-0060): Lots located in the towns of Castleton and Shrewsbury.