Riverina Community Firewood and Home Heating Taskforce
In July 2010, a group of state forests in the Riverina region of NSW became national and regional parks under the management of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), following the enactment of the National Park Estate (Riverina Red Gum Reservations) Act 2010 by the then NSW Government.
Prior to 2010, timber harvesting in the former state forests produced residue logs which could be collected for firewood under a permit scheme operated by the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW). In recognition of the importance of firewood as a source of home heating for many Riverina residents, the river red gum legislation included provisions to allow NPWS to authorise firewood collection on these lands. The NPWS Domestic Firewood Collection Program was established on 1 July 2010 and essentially mirrors the program FCNSW had operated previously.