Forest Products 

Program

United States 

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Intermountain 

Region

Caribou-Targhee

National Forest

u Visitors will always be welcomed with 

prompt, courteous service.

u Our offices, work sites, visitor centers will be 

open at times convenient to our customers.

u Customers will receive the services and 

information they request, or we will explain 

why we cannot meet the request.

u Customers will be fully informed of the 

process required for grants, agreements, 

contracts, and permits, and we will respond 

in a timely manner.

u Customers will be asked regularly to help 

us improve our services and business 

practices.

u Our facilities will be safe, clean, attractive, 

and informative.

u Our facilities and programs will be 

accessible to persons of all ages and 

abilities.

May 2007

CARIBOU-TARGHEE

NATIONAL FOREST
Personal Use Forest Products are defined as Forest Products that are destined or intended for 

individual use, private use, or household use only. Personal Use Products are not intended to be sold, 

traded, or given away.

Not all Personal Use Products are available at each Ranger District. Please check with your local 

District Office for Availability.

THE MINIMUM CHARGE FOR ANY PERMIT

(except Christmas trees) IS $20.00.

For Commercial or Negotiated Sales of Forest Products, see your local District Office. Each Ranger 

District has different Forest Product Programs.

PERSONAL USE PRODUCT PRICE & MAXIMUM QUANTITY

Firewood - Personal Use $6.25 / cord

8 Cord Maximum / Household / Year

Firewood - Free Use FREE

Check local offices for availability

Green or Dead Pole-sized Tree $1.50 / Tree

0 to 4.99” DBH

Green or Dead Post-sized Tree $2.50 / Tree

5.0 to 6.99” DBH

Transplants Conifers & Hardwoods $5.00 / Tree

Under 6 foot

Transplants Conifers & Hardwoods $10.00 / Tree

6 to 10 foot

Transplants Conifers & Hardwoods $25.00 / Tree

11 to 20 foot

Transplants Shrubs, Ferns, Forbs & other $1.00 / Plant

Small plants under 6 foot

Stumps - All Species $5.00 / Stump

Dry Cones – All Species $1.00 / bushel

Bark, Grass Seed, Forb Seed, Shrub Seed, Prices vary by the pound

Moss & Lichens, Roots, Bulbs Maximum Quantities vary

Tree Boughs, Fern cuttings, $ .10 / pound

Shrub cuttings, and Grass

Christmas Trees - Personal Use $5.00 under 12 feet. $.50 / foot over 12′

1 Tree Maximum / Household
Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Forest Products Program

The forest products program requires that firewood be charged for at the rate of $6.25 per cord, with a 

minimum purchase of four cords. However, free wood may be available in some areas. Check the District 

Office for location of areas you want to remove your products from.

In order to ensure that there will be enough forest products accessible to people for their personal use in the 

future, each family is limited to certain quantities per household.

Some areas are closed to forest product removal. Closed areas include: Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, 

Research Natural Areas, Aquatic Influence Zones, campgrounds, administrative sites, and in active timber sale 

areas. Check your local Ranger District and Forest Travel Plan for open areas.

Permit holders wishing to use equipment other than a pickup truck, trailer, winch and chainsaw must check 

with their local District Office and obtain written permission and attach to the permit.

Where to Obtain Permits or

Additional Information

Permits may be obtained in person at any District Office, Visitor Center, or local vendor.

Caribou-Targhee Visitor Center

630 West Broadway

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402

(208) 523-3278

Forest Supervisor: Larry Timchak

Ashton-Island Park Ranger District

Ashton Office

46 Highway 20

Ashton, Idaho 83420

(208) 652-7442

District Ranger: Adrienne Keller

Ashton-Island Park Ranger District

Island Park Office

3726 Highway 20

Island Park, Idaho 83429

(208) 558-7301

District Ranger: Adrienne Keller

Dubois Ranger District

225 West Main

Dubois, Idaho 83423

(208) 374-5422

District Ranger: Richard Newton

Montpelier Ranger District

322 North 4th Street

Montpelier, Idaho 83254

(208) 847-0375

District Ranger: Dennis Duehren

Palisades Ranger District

3659 East Ririe Highway

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401

(208) 523-1412 

District Ranger: Ron Dickemore

Soda Springs Ranger District

410 East Hooper Avenue

Soda Springs, Idaho 83276

(208) 547-4356

District Ranger: Jack Isaacs

Teton Basin Ranger District

515 South Main

Driggs, Idaho 83422

(208) 354-2312

District Ranger: Jay Pence

Westside Ranger District

Malad Office

195 South 300 East 

Malad, Idaho 83252

(208) 766-5900

District Ranger: Jerald Tower 

Westside Ranger District

Pocatello Office

4350 Cliffs Drive 

Pocatello, Idaho 83204

(208) 236-7500

District Ranger: Jerald Tower
TIMBER

SALE AREA

NO Firewood

Cutting Allowed

Permit Required

To Cut or Remove Firewood

Do Not Cut

In Log Decks

1. YOU MUST HAVE A PERMIT. A valid permit must be in your possession at all times when cutting and 

removing forest products (BOTH charge and free-use) on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. You must 

be 18 years of age or older to purchase a permit.

For the permit to be valid, the person designated as the purchaser must sign the permit when they receive 

it and must have it in their possession when cutting and transporting products. 

Violations pertaining to the Terms and Conditions of any Forest Product Permit, Resource Damage 

or Damage to Government Property shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 and/or 

imprisonment for not more than six (6) months and/or your forest products seized. An additional restitution 

for Resource Damage may also be imposed.

2. Cutting or removal of forest products is prohibited in campgrounds, summer home sites, administrative 

sites (guard stations), ski areas, designated Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas or Research Natural 

Areas. Areas available for removal of forest products will be identified on the permit.

3. Cut stumps 12 inches or less for firewood. Maximum length for firewood is stated on your permit.

4. Do not cut signed wildlife or bearing trees.

5. Do not cut in active timber sales. These areas are:

• Signed by yellow, orange and black signs.

• Contain trees with slashes or rings of orange,

 blue, yellow, green, white or red tree paint.

• Otherwise posted as an active timber sale.

6. Log decks are usually located along roads in active 

timber sales areas. These logs have been limbed, 

bucked, skidded and decked for hauling by the 

sale purchaser, and are not available for public 

use. Do not cut log decks for firewood.

R E M E M B E R . . . .
CARIBOU-TARGHEE

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CARIBOU-TARGHEE

National Forest

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How to Validate Load Tickets

Forest Product Permit Holder — you need to do the following:

uPunch out

the month.

vPunch out

the day. wThe product 

and quantity will be 

punched out for you at 

the time of purchase.

xThe ticket is not to be used for more than one load.

yAttach load ticket to the back of the load in a clearly visible location.

zDispose of or destroy all unused tickets at the end of the year.


8'

4'

4'

Measuring and Removing

Firewood from the Forest

Measuring and Removing

Limbs and Boughs

1/3 Cord for Long Bed

1/4 Cord for Short Bed

1/2 Cord for Long Bed

1/3 Cord for Short Bed

1 Cord for Long Bed

3/4 Cord for Short Bed

ONE CORD (128 cubic feet)

75 Pounds for Long Bed

50 Pounds for Long Bed with Toolbox

50 Pounds for Short Bed 125 Pounds for Long Bed

75 Pounds for Short Bed

Number of Cords = (length x width x height) ÷ 128

Firewood is commonly 

measured in cords. A 

standard cord is the 

amount of lightly piled 

wood in a stack 4 feet 

wide by 4 feet high by 8 

feet long.

The average half-ton 

pickup truck can carry 

a half cord of dry wood 

without overlapping the 

vehicle.
One reason for seasonal road closures is an attempt to 

reduce the impact on the land from vehicle use during 

wet seasons. The Forest has two periods during the 

year when the soils become saturated with water and 

are highly erosive. The first period occurs in the spring 

during snow melt and spring runoff until around June 

15. The second period is from around October 15 until 

winter snows.

Another reason for seasonal closures is an attempt 

to reduce the impacts upon key wildlife habitat areas. 

Migration routes, calving areas, and important winter 

or summer range areas may require road closures. 

Certain Forest roads and trails are therefore closed for 

these purposes.

Obtain a Travel Map for specific 

closure information.

Vehicles may travel up to 300 feet off open roads when 

the ground is dry, no vegetation is damaged, and when 

no streams or wet meadows are crossed. No travel is 

permitted in Forest riparian areas. 

Know and obey all state vehicle laws.

Using a vehicle off developed open forest roads more 

than 300 feet to gather forest products is prohibited. 

Please refer to your local Forest Travel Plan for rules 

and regulations pertaining to roads, trails and off road 

usage.

Travel Plan Restrictions

and Road Closures

(

*

)
Wildlife Trees

Standing, dead trees (snags) play a role in supporting wildlife populations in the Forest. They are a 

source of food, nests, perches, and protective cover for many birds and mammals.

Wildlife Trees identified with this sign are prohibited from cutting.

Cutting and removal of 

any Bearing Tree with 

this sign is prohibited.
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest refers to areas near streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands as aquatic 

influence zones (AIZ). Vegetation in these areas help to provide stream bank stability, filter upland sediments 

and pollutants prior to entering the water, shade water, and provide structure and nutrients to the aquatic 

ecosystem. 

NO FIREWOOD CUTTING IS ALLOWED within 300 feet (the length of a football field) from the edge of a 

watered stream, lake, pond or wetland. NO FIREWOOD CUTTING IS ALLOWED within 100 feet from the edge 

of a dry stream, lake, pond or wetland. This will sustain the input of large wood to the stream. 

Aquatic Influence Zones

Water plunging over logs mixes oxygen into water.

Fish and insects need oxygen to survive.

Large woody material creates pools and undercut 

banks where large fish seek shelter.

Wetted

Channel

Active

Channel

Floodplain

Hillslope Hillslope

Riparian

Management

Zone

Riparian

Management

Zone
Safety Hints

Gathering firewood can be hazardous. Here are some tips to make your trip safe:

Ý Start saws on the ground.

Ý Wear saw chaps, work boots, safety glasses, hard hat, earplugs, and gloves.

Ý Be sure of your footing. Have an “escape” route when falling. Post lookouts when needed.

Ý Carry a shovel and a fire extinguisher with you to reduce the possibility of fire. Don’t smoke.

Ý Park your vehicle in a safe location. Use caution when driving back roads — especially around curves.

Ý Do not drop trees across roadways. A tree across a road keeps other people from getting through, and 

can be very dangerous.

Ý Make sure you’re not cutting too close to anyone else.

Ý The backcut must be above the level of the horizontal facecut to prevent kickback when falling.

Ý Backcut must leave sufficient hinge wood to guide the tree’s fall in the intended direction.

Ý Check your local district office for any current fire restrictions.

Report fires on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest to

East Idaho Interagency Fire Dispatcher, 208-524-7600 or 1-800-438-8160.

or the nearest Sheriff’s Office, or dial 911.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, 

sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should 

contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.