Hey guys. So I live up here in Maine. There are corridors of natural gas pipeline that to my knowledge are public ways. About 3-4 years ago they were clear cutting in this corridor. A lot of the wood was taken away but now there are 3 decent piles of 10-12 ft oak that have been sitting there ever since. I could literally back my truck up to it. What do u guys think? Is this fair game? I emailed someone who I think could maybe give me an answer but haven’t heard back yet.
1 vote for take it. Someone will appreciate you cleaning up the right of way, especially if they try to mow them.
In PA pipelines are "right of way" thru a property. Ya don't take wood from landowners or the guvment.
I will add that on the opposite side of the rd the pipeline corridor is clearly posted “no trespassing”. The side the wood is on there are no signs.
How long has the project been done???? Were the trees on private or public land???....If it has been done for more than 1 year and it was done on public land.......I would take ALL OF IT!!!!
With the huge amount of wood burners up there, and the fact that NOBODY else has gone for it yet... Sounds too good to be true. Might be a sure way to get pinched in a hurry. I’d wait for permission if at all possible, as tempting as it is. Or go for it and don’t tell a soul, especially not here
You’re prob right but you’d be surprised how long wood will just lay on the side of the rd til I pick it up.
Can't answer to your locale or laws/regulations. But.. Our property has a gas line that was here prior to our purchase. We've also been paid lease rights for the new gas line proposed. It's a "purchased easement".. I/we still own the land and have full use rights. I'd check before taking anything from the property. Just my $.02
I believe it. One thing I realized is people that get paid to drop trees purely because they’re in the way of infrastructure (railroads, highways, power lines, right of ways) don’t see valuable firewood sitting on the ground. They see an inconsequential byproduct of their work. And unless someone is a crazed wood hoarder, most will pass on these quick “grab and go” scores. So they sit, and sit, and sit... driving us crazy until something just HAS to be done, right?
Can't guarantee anything, but your county/State may have GIS maps that will indicate property boundaries and owners.
I’m 100% in agreement with Chaz too. Look at the online GIS Maps. If it’s owned by the pipeline company, get in contact with them. I’m sure you won’t be the first person to inquire about wood under their jurisdiction. It’s worth a shot. If it’s some private residence, it can’t hurt to ask as well. The consequences of getting caught without asking anyone will suck, that much I do know.
I get what you’re saying. I’m just playing devil’s advocate here tho...wouldn’t the corridor be clearly posted no trespassing if that was the case just like the opposite side of the rd?
This has been brought up several times before, and the last time it went like this: Scrounging from ROWs Food for thought. I once brought up scrounging from the railroad and that didn’t go over well either.
Not necessarily.. Remember, if you're on someone else's property, you are trespassing.. signage notwithstanding. We are responsible for our actions. If it's public land, then it's a state issue as well. Your state may require "harvesting permits". But you're less likely to have an unfortunate confrontation on public vs private lands. $.02
I don't know trespass or theft laws in Maine, but in PA you can get prosecuted for taking wood from property when you don't have permission. No signs required. I felt like Arlo in And I had to put the wood back!
