Certain downed, dead trees at Tippecanoe River State Park are available for public cutting and removal through mid-March.
Park staff are dropping hazardous trees and those damaged by the emerald ash borer (EAB) insect and placing them where the public can come in, cut them up and haul them away for use as firewood. The park is charging $10 per pickup load, and all proceeds will be used to enhance the natural areas of Tippecanoe River State Park.
A firewood permit for each load must be obtained from the park office. They are available each Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern. Wood may be cut and removed Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern.
Firewood cut at Tippecanoe River State Park is for personal use only. Officials say no downed trees will be removed from dedicated nature preserves. They add the ban on transporting ash between Indiana counties is being removed because the EAB is now widespread. Regulatory tools and funding will be directed to other resources.
The DNR does not recommend long distance movement of firewood of any species due to the potential for moving other insect pests and tree diseases beyond locally affected areas. Long distance movement is considered moving beyond the immediate or surrounding counties.
Any ash firewood should be burned before mid-April to early May at the latest to help limit EAB movement. Larve are generally dormant in the winter living under the bark. They emerge in late spring as adult beetles.
Contact Tippecanoe River State Park at 574-946-3213 for additional information.
