Tree cutting permits for personal use

Personal Use Forest Products Permits (PUFPP) are for small-scale personal use only (no resale) for Christmas trees, firewood or transplants.

The PUFPP entitles individuals to:

1. Cut up to 3 Christmas trees under 2.5 m (approximately 8 ft) in height and no more than 15 cm in diameter at the stump.
   OR
2. Transplant up to 20 trees less than 2.5 m in height.
   OR
3. Cut up to 5 cubic metres (5 m³) of firewood. The number of trees cut depends on tree species and size and is approximately:
   • 5 to 7 large coniferous trees (generally trees with needles), or
   • 4 to 6 deciduous trees (generally trees with leaves), or
   • 5 m³ is approximately 1.5 cords (approximately 3 level 1/2 ton pickup truck boxes).
     OR
4. Cut up to 5 m³ of roundwood timber (fence posts or poles).

PUFPPs authorize Albertans to cut and removed timber from designated Crown land only. The area-specific PUFPP document must be with you at all times while cutting or transporting trees from Crown land. In one 30-day period, a person can hold up to 4 permits – up to one permit each for:

• firewood
• Christmas trees
• roundwood
• transplants

Cost

PUFPPs are free.

Valid for

PUFPPs expire 30 days from the date of issuance.

PUFPPs can be used only in designated areas on Crown land, within Alberta’s forest areas.

Before getting a PUFPP, you must choose the forest area where you will be using your permit. Find PUFPP maps at Tree cutting permit maps.

It is your responsibility to ensure you are harvesting in the correct location. You must not harvest in a restricted area where trees may be growing for commercial or research purposes.

If you have questions about where you can cut in a particular forest area, contact your local forest area office.

Read the PUFPP Terms and Conditions.

Where tree cutting for personal use is not allowed

In Alberta, tree cutting for personal use is not allowed:

• outside of forest areas
• in provincial Parks or Provincial Recreation Areas (except for designated Provincial Park areas)
• in National Parks

Access to tree cutting areas

You may need a 4-wheel drive vehicle, depending on the location and type of roads that are in your specific permit area. Talk to your local forest area office for information regarding the area in which you wish to access the trees the PUFPP authorizes you to cut.

Public land use zones (PLUZ) in Alberta have varying conditions, including restrictions on use of Off-Highway Vehicles use and access times. Be sure to contact your local Forest area office to ensure you have the most up-to-date information before accessing the PLUZ for firewood.

A PUFPP may be used on agricultural crown land within a forest area. If you wish to use your PUFPP on an agricultural disposition such as a grazing lease, you must contact the lease holder first to give them notice. For more information, see Recreation on agricultural public land or contact your local ministry office.

Transporting harvested wood

You must be able to produce your PUFPP document at all times when harvesting and transporting primary timber products from Crown land.

Transporting any firewood or timber harvested from Crown land to destinations outside of the province of Alberta requires an export permit from Agriculture, Foresty and Rural Economic Development.

Types of timber

The PUFPP authorizes the permit holder to to harvest green and/or dead trees for firewood.

Consult the map for the forest area you plan to harvest in. If you require further direction, check with your local forest area office before heading out.

Using timber for firewood

• Permit required: If you plan to transport any firewood timber within Alberta – for example, back to your home – you will need a PUFPP.
• Permit not required: To collect deadfall for firewood use onsite, you do not need a PUFPP.

Preventing the spread of mountain pine beetle

Do not cut and transport mountain pine beetle infested trees for roundwood or firewood. After mountain pine beetle infested wood is transported, mountain pine beetles can emerge from wood piles and infest nearby healthy pine trees.

Alberta has 6 million hectares of susceptible pine forest at risk of attack by mountain pine beetle. In addition to not transporting infested trees, help prevent the spread by learning more:

• Mountain Pine Beetles – Overview
• Mountain Pine Beetles information cards

You can get a PUFPP online or in person at a forest area office. Plan Ahead! Get your permit a few days before you plan to cut or transplant trees.

If you need help getting a copy of your permit, email for-info@gov.ab.ca. Allow 2 to 3 business days for a reply.

Online

Get a PUFPP online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In person

You can also get your PUFPP at your local forest area office. Not all offices can issue PUFPPs, so call ahead to ensure availability.

Offices are open from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays).

Local Timber Permits (LTP) can also be issued for personal use only (no resale). However, it is used for purposes requiring larger amounts of timber such as log buildings, fences, and home heating.

When issued as a non-commercial permit, the LTP authorizes its holder to cut and remove up to 50 m³ of timber for personal, non-commercial use (no resale). The number of trees that can be cut depends on tree species and size. Typically, 50 m³ of timber is equivalent to:

• 50 to 70 large coniferous trees (generally trees with needles)
  OR
• 40 to 60 large deciduous trees (generally trees with leaves)

Cost

The fee for an LTP is $21 (plus GST)

Additional costs

A security deposit may be required in case of any site degradation. The deposit is refundable if no incidence of degradation occurs.

The holder must pre-pay timber dues and a reforestation levy on harvested volume as stipulated in section 94 of the Timber Management Regulation, and section 5.1 of the Forest Resources Improvement Regulation. With certain exceptions specified in the regulations, the timber dues rate for coniferous timber is $1.90 per cubic metre and the rate for deciduous timber is $0.53 per cubic metre. The reforestation levy is $8.39 per cubic metre south of township 47 and $12.58 per cubic metre north of township 47.

After harvesting is completed, the LTP holder may make an application for a refund of any prepaid timber dues, reforestation charges or surplus deposits to the issuing forest area office. This application must be made within one year.

Valid for

The LTP expires annually on April 30 unless otherwise specified on the permit.

This permit can be used only in designated areas on Crown land, within Alberta’s forest areas.

The issuing forest area office will let the permit holder know where they can use the LTP.

You can get an LTP through your local forest area office.