[sevinufnine]

As a landowner whose property (200+ acres) boarders nat’l forest on 2 sides, far as I know you’ve never been allowed to cut down trees on nat’l forest land. I do know often times culling downed trees IS allowed for forest fire management/prevention measures though.

[IYAS9YAS]

As a landowner whose property (200+ acres) boarders nat’l forest on 2 sides, far as I know you’ve never been allowed to cut down trees on nat’l forest land.

You've always been allowed to purchase a very inexpensive permit for your own firewood or Christmas tree harvesting on national forest lands. Not so with national parks, but forests are fine. You just can't sell it under those permits. Otherwise that would be commercial use and would require a whole lot more paperwork.

[woodbutcher1963]

This is a direct quote from the US Forest Service web page:

“The National Forests were originally envisioned as working forests with multiple objectives: to improve and protect the forest, to secure favorable watershed conditions, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use of citizens of the United States.”

https://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/aboutus/index.shtml

[woodbutcher1963]

Here is the entire ABOUT US:

“The overriding objective of the Forest Service’s forest management program is to ensure that the National Forests are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner. The National Forests were originally envisioned as working forests with multiple objectives: to improve and protect the forest, to secure favorable watershed conditions, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use of citizens of the United States. Forest management objectives have since expanded and evolved to include ecological restoration and protection, research and product development, fire hazard reduction, and the maintenance of healthy forests. Guided by law, regulation, and agency policy, Forest Service forest managers use timber sales, as well as other vegetation management techniques such as prescribed fire, to achieve these objectives. These activities have captured substantial public attention, and in some cases, become hotly debated issues.”

[Mr. Lucky]

Try Googling on something to the effect of Timber Sales - National Forest Service.

[Valpal1]

You can generally get woodcutting permits for many Nat’l Forests, it’s the parks and preserves that are generally off limits.