Camping neighbor destroying trees?

[GordonThree]

I'm at a Michigan state park and the people in the site across from me have decided to harvest their firewood from the decorative trees on their site. This is despite several places on the road into the park selling wood.

They spent a good 15 minutes tearing down branches.

The rangers have gone home for the night, aside for police patrols which I haven't seen in a while.

Not worth confronting them directly about it.

Overall just sad that people are so selfish to destroy decorative trees like that for a quick camp fire. If they're truely too poor to afford fire wood the park is surrounded by a forest, they could find plenty of dead down wood to burn.

[2gypsies1]

Doug33 wrote:
How do you burn wood you just cut from a live tree??

Not well but believe me, many folks will certainly try and all it does is smoke.

[Doug33]

How do you burn wood you just cut from a live tree??

[Passin_Thru]

Well, maybe it was Ranger Rick just marking trees with his Golf Clubs!

[bid_time]

irishtom29 wrote:
This reminds me of those medieval serfs who had the right to collect only those tree limbs on the ground or that they could knock down without cutting. Of course some serfs had a better deal from their lord than others, conditions varied from fief to fief.

So the moral of the story is, it makes sense for the serfs to know what the fiefdoms rules are so they don't break the rules and get the rack.

[davidaf]

Just last week I had to trim a couple small branches. I didn't care that they were up against my rig until the ants used them as a highway to break in. Didn't even occur to me to ask the rangers. Next time I will.

[irishtom29]

This reminds me of those medieval serfs who had the right to collect only those tree limbs on the ground or that they could knock down without cutting. Of course some serfs had a better deal from their lord than others, conditions varied from fief to fief.

[edatlanta]

Veebyes wrote:
Lots of CGs don't keep up with making sure that trees & bushes are trimmed. Most often it is an available labour thing. This is fine for your average TT, class C or even class As. Then there are the 12'6", even 13'6" 5ers that come along every once in awhile.

At 12'6" I have had to do some descrete trimming of potentially damaging branches. Helped a cg host or ranger do some trimming on more than 1 or 2 times also.

Wanton destruction? Yeah, seen that happen too. Brings the blood to boil point very quickly.

You are "right on". The park where I am hosting right now has a spec of 14' clear on all roadways and sites, but they have many areas where this isn't the case. Two years ago while here several hosts got together and trimmed the main road up to spec. Actually I was the instigator of this group since I needed the clearance to leave at the end of my time. Now two years later I'm going to have to do it again.

The park has no problem with this as long as you are trimming to spec and not going further.

[golfknut]

sch911 wrote:
It is legal in Michigan to harvest anything that is dead and laying on the ground. If they're plucking live branches then that's against the law. You need to turn them in....

I've been camping in Michigan State Parks for many years and don't know of any that allow the picking up of any wood, dead or alive.

Here is an excerpt addressing this from the General Rules section of the Michigan DNR State Park and Recreation Area Rules.
"It is unlawful to do any of the following.....(h) Destroy, damage, or remove a tree, including a dead and downed tree and
woody debris, shrub, wildflower, grass, or other vegetation. Except in a wildlife food plot, this subdivision does not apply to picking and removing mushrooms, berries, and edible fruits or nuts for personal use."

[kellertx5er]

TyroneandGladys wrote:
Was at a park when a 40 foot pusher was setting up in a pull thru ,across from us, and got a ladder and loppers out to trim the trees for clearance for his super slide park employee saw him and it got interesting real quick. Long story short he was asked to leave and refused and then it was explained he could leave on his own or the sheriffs department would help him leave. And the park said they did not have any entertainment was a great show.

Would LOVE to have seen that show.

[Desert_Captain]

One of the problems with "trimming" a live tree is that if not done properly it can injure or even kill the tree. You will be long gone down the road before that happens but it still can happen. If you don't know what you are doing and most folks don't, have the proper (as in very sharp), tools you will probably do more damage than good. :E

If the local management says go for it by all means but trimming anything without permission will often result in your expulsion from the CG and may also carry significant fines. Too many folks insist on trying to squeeze in a rig that is oversize for the site. If you don't fit without trimming.... you don't fit. :S

[wing_zealot]

I can assure you Michigan does not discriminate between destroying trees and trimming trees. You can not cut on a tree on Michigan state land unless it is laying on the ground, dead, and you have a permit. You can not even cut a dead tree that is standing even if you have a permit. And you can forget about doing any cutting on a live standing tree (or trimming if that's what you prefer to call it).

[jnharley]

Trimming trees is much different than destroying trees. We ask (if we can find someone to ask) to trim low hanging trees that can damage our 5th wheel. We stayed in an Iowa state park last year and the manager was thrilled that we were willing to trim some trees. He did not have the manpower or budget for tree trimming. We carefully select campgrounds and camp sites looking for places without trees. We are not interested in damaging our home.

[2gypsies1]

We always asked before trimming small branches. Sometimes they even sent the host over to do it for us.

As volunteers, we know that there are folks who think nothing of cutting their own firewood and even from green trees. In public parks you can't even cut a dead tree. It has to be down on the ground and even then you need permission. We've had many people evicted from the public parks along with a hefty fine, especially in national parks.

Even dead trees that are laying on the ground serve a purpose for renewing the area.

[Veebyes]

Wing Zealot, cutting trees for firewood & trimming branches in a site to accomodate getting a rig in undamaged are 2 very different things. Never come across a CG that has had a problem with accomodating a tall rig by cutting a few offending branches. Once done the site is ready for any future tall rigs without issue.