Appalachian Green Wood Working and Carving: Intro

In this video I introduce green woodcarving, the Appalachian tradition, basics of harvesting trees, hand tools, chopping blocks...etc.

https://rumble.com/v2bbsxe-american-green-wood-carving-intro.html?mref=e72kh&mc=egssm

Can you explain to those of us who have no possibility of harvesting our own trees how it works in a private ownership sense?

Are you only able to harvest trees from your property? Or are there governmental permits that allow you to harvest x amount of trees from some specific, bordered land, such as a preserve, or a national park, or etc...?

I have too many books on green woodworking but have never found any suitable green wood in Florida, it's mostly nonexistent as most trees that are removed are palm trees, the type of "tree" that doesn't have usable wood... I always inspect piles of wood out front of peoples homes after landscapers finish while I walk the dog. If it's some type of tropical tree that's been trimmed, more often than not it'll be skinny twigs, unsuitable for even a spoon, let alone a chair.

A National Forest will often allow harvest of dead and down wood or dead standing trees below a given diameter (to preserve habitat rich larger snags). We go through our nearest US Forest Service office for wood collection permits.

Any National Park in the US will prohibit cutting or collection of wood, with the exception of dead and down campfire wood for immediate use in an established fire ring at approved times of year, and nothing above forearm size. At least these were the rules when was a National Park Ranger a few years ago.

In permaculture terms, National Forests are meant to be our collective Zone 4 (conserved for perpetual use), and National Parks our Zone 5 (preserved as nature’s classroom).

Jeff Steez wrote:Can you explain to those of us who have no possibility of harvesting our own trees how it works in a private ownership sense?

Are you only able to harvest trees from your property? Or are there governmental permits that allow you to harvest x amount of trees from some specific, bordered land, such as a preserve, or a national park, or etc...?

I have too many books on green woodworking but have never found any suitable green wood in Florida, it's mostly nonexistent as most trees that are removed are palm trees, the type of "tree" that doesn't have usable wood... I always inspect piles of wood out front of peoples homes after landscapers finish while I walk the dog. If it's some type of tropical tree that's been trimmed, more often than not it'll be skinny twigs, unsuitable for even a spoon, let alone a chair.

Ben summed it up nicely!  In more urban areas than where I live (which is basically the opposite of urban) keep an eye out for storm damaged trees and those folks are having removed or trimmed.  I have never been refused in asking a property owner or tree service if I could have a few pieces of wood to carve.