GLADSTONE — In anticipation of the holiday season, Hiawatha National Forest is announcing that commercial bough permits are now available at the Rapid River/ Manistique and Munising Ranger District Offices.

Permits can be purchased in Rapid River/Manistique Wednesdays through Fridays, and in Munising on Tuesdays only. The cost is $30 per ton with a minimum purchase of two tons, totaling $60. Each permit holder will be designated a section for collection, and these areas will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

Permits holders are responsible for understanding all conditions of the permit, including the expiration date, the requirement to record collection dates, times, and amounts, and for following designated Forest Service roads as shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Maps while collecting boughs. The following restrictions also apply:

– Do not cut down live trees to harvest boughs.

– Do not remove cedar or hemlock boughs.

– Gather boughs from trees that are greater than seven feet tall. Only branches from the lower 1/3 of the tree may be removed. Leave 1/3 to 1/2 of each branch in order to encourage regrowth. If all of a branch is removed, flush cut the branch close to the tree trunk.

– Bough gathering is prohibited within:

– 50 feet of the cleared edge of two-lane gravel or paved roads

– 50 feet of designated hiking/ski trails

– Developed recreation sites

– Forest Service Administrative sites

– Wild and Scenic River Corridors

– Designated Wilderness Areas

– Research Natural Areas

– The Dukes Experimental Forest (Marquette County)

– Other areas designated as Closed on the map provided with the permit.

For more information on permits, please visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/hiawatha/passes-permits/forestproducts or call Dave Osmak at (906) 474-6442, ext. 2113, or Kate Johnson at (906) 474-6442, ext. 2137.