Illegal firewood trade harming WA forests and hurting businesses

Residents of Western Australia's southern forests say chainsaws and newly felled trees have become an increasingly common sight in areas where firewood collection is prohibited.

Removing firewood from non-designated areas of national parks, nature reserves and conservation estates is illegal across Western Australia. Penalties can reach $500,000 or 12 months in prison. The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions said authorities recorded 116 cautions, infringements and prosecutions for unlawfully taking forest produce in the South West during the past three years.

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We're seeing more and more people coming, and felling live Jarrah trees and taking them away for firewood, and it's not a firewood collecting area.

Donnybrook resident Colleen Bandy said she had heard chainsaws near her home and seen people cutting live jarrah trees. She said the loss of habitat trees had been devastating, particularly because trunks are often taken while branches remain behind. Hollows used by birds and possums, she said, are then lost permanently.

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I cry when I see beautiful big habitat trees that have been felled.

The practice is also putting pressure on legitimate businesses. Geoff North, a farm forester near Walpole who sells timber to firewood merchants, said illegal collectors compete with businesses that pay to grow and supply wood. “I'm directly competing with people who illegally source it,” he said. North described the problem as longstanding and said it was widely known that people take firewood from the bush.

The Shire of Donnybrook Balingup has begun looking at stronger local action. Councillors unanimously backed a motion for the chief executive to prepare a report on the issue after Councillor Anita Lindemann reported seeing trees cut near town and hearing accounts of chainsaws, vehicles creating tracks and collection in restricted areas.

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I'm directly competing with people who illegally source it.