Reading the article it seems that firewood supplies are running low or due to run out in some areas... Surely a ban or restriction makes sense it that's the case? Or is it just a case of letting everyone use it all up until there's none left? "DWLWP’s Hume regional director, Christine Ferguson, said Mildura and Shepparton’s firewood supplies would be exhausted this year".
Not sure where the blame goes on the Greens? They're blaming the government for bungling the removal of the permits in 2011? (wasn't that a Labor government, and not a Greens Government?)
Sadly as population increases put pressure on the environment more of this kind of thing will happen. You can't just keep allowing anyone to go an get wood, its unsustainable. And it seems Commercial merchants have been caught stealing the wood from the land set aside for the public and selling it.
I can't see why permits can't work? In NSW you need a permit to get firewood from a State Forest, my FIL has been doing it for years. Each time he gets a permit he's given an area to use so they make sure the areas aren't overused.
