Posted on 06/07/2022 3:32:43 PM PDT by EBH
The Polish government and state forestry agency have taken steps to make it easier for people to collect firewood, in an effort to ease the pressure created by soaring energy bills and shortages of coal.
“It is always possible, with the consent of foresters, to collect branches for fuel,” reminded deputy climate and energy minister Edward Siarka last week.
He noted that this year, amid “the war in Ukraine and turmoil on the energy market”, enquiries to local forestry units about obtaining permission to collect firewood have increased. “[Our] priority has been to ensure that local communities have precedence in the self-sourcing of wood,” Siarka added.
As such, State Forests (Lasy Państwowe), a state agency, has, at the request of the environment ministry, introduced new guidelines on the sale and gathering of firewood.
Previously such firewood – which is not specifically harvested by State Forests but is a byproduct of other activities – was available equally to businesses, institutions and individual consumers. Now, under the new rules, individuals are to be given priority. State Forests has also increased the amount of wood available.
Speaking to Polsat, State Forests spokesman Michał Gzowski reminded those wishing to gather such wood that they must first obtain permission from the local forestry unit – “even a phone call is enough” – and that they can only take wood that is “already lying [on the ground]”. They cannot cut down trees.
Previously, in mid-May, the development minister, Waldemar Buda, announced that the government was seeking ways to increase the availability of wood after imports from Russia and Belarus stopped completely and those from Ukraine fell around 75%, reported Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
Meanwhile, there has been a similar situation for coal, which many Poles use for home heating. Although Poland produces a lot of coal itself, previously it imported large quantities from Russia as well, especially for heating. But the government banned Russian coal imports in April.
Polish state coal firms have tried to make up the shortfall, including by making it easier for individual consumers to buy directly from mines, including through a new online ordering system. However, stocks are quickly selling out and prices are skyrocketing, reports the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
Yesterday, the environment minister, Anna Moskwa, announced that eight ships carrying over 700,000 tonnes of coal are on their way to Poland, which is importing supplies from Colombia, the US, Australia, South Africa and Indonesia to make up for the shortfall from Russia.
If Trump gets back in the Europeans will be drowning in fracked oil and gas and they’ll have mountains of American coal.
For many years I burned 3 cords of wood per year.
Today that seems to upset city people that are more numerous
than I.
I was always warm, had food, and was comfortable.
Y’all figure it out.
But, but, but….. global warming….. CO2…… green stuff…..
We’re doomed!
As stated “ they can only take wood that is “already lying [on the ground]”. They cannot cut down trees”......
Will see how that’s going to ride. In the winter they’ll cut whatever to stay warm.
You will freeze, hungry, in the dark.
But you do get to virtually signal.
People don’t give a crap about the environment when they’re freezing to death.
They cannot make up what they got from Russia through Belarus via rail, with coal from the Americas and Australia.
Lest it be unaffordable.
75% of Poland’s electricity comes from burning coal.
“Poland encourages people to collect firewood in forests amid soaring energy costs”
Meanwhile, the Russians will again have to open their windows this winter due to the excess heat being delivered to their apartments.
So, once again, the West is really STICKING IT TO PUTIN!!!
That’s a massive carbon footprint!
Government should hand out fur coats, parkas, gloves and similar so the people can survive in the cold. No need to heat a room.
Interesting how that works. Hunger has an effect too.
Beware becoming restive. Governments the world around are looking for excuses to kill the excess chattel.
We get by on just over 2 cords per cold season. 2/3 of our property is lodgepole, fir and tamarack. We don’t burn lodgepole, but the rest is great.
My house doesn’t have a fireplace nor is there a reasonable place to put one.
It really bothers me that I don’t have a good alternative heat source.
That’s the way it is here with the National Forest Service. For $20 for 6 months, you can take anything laying on the ground. Lay a piece of wood on the ground here in the Ozarks and some sort of bug will be eating it in a week. Can’t even cut standing dead wood because it might be habitat for critters. Doesn’t matter if it has no holes in it.
Can’t drive any vehicle, including a 4 wheeler off the forest roads. It’s a joke.
Better plan. Buy a hunk of woods that you own.
This reads like a Polish joke.
It is no joke.
And frankly I find it utterly horrifying.
All throughout the west there are millions of acres of beetle-killed trees but the Forest Circus won’t allow any of it to be cut.
I think the FedMob wants the record breaking forest fires to bolster their crumbling Climate Crisis hoax.
Nice.
They can eventually call it “Inland Ireland”
Do you have a window near a heat-resistant surface? It might be possible to make a mini rocketstove, and use the window as the outlet for the chimney.
I’m probably not describing that very well.
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