The Government of Saskatchewan says if residents want to harvest trees from the provincial forest to sell then a license is required and if you bypass that step, it will cost you.

Earlier this year three Prince Albert area men pleaded guilty under the Forest Resources Management Act and Terry Thoms, Reginald Cook and Jose Madariaga received fines totalling $8,229.

In October 2022 a truck carrying a load of birch travelling along Highway 916, north of Prince Albert National Park, attracted the attention of a conservation officer, who pulled the vehicle over.

The Ministry of Environment says the driver, Reginald Cook, was transporting the wood to Terry Thoms to be sold as firewood but did not have the required shipping and receiving reports. Further, Thoms had no permit to harvest the birch. The officer travelled to where the wood was being harvested and found Jose Madariaga in the process of loading two more loads of birch. All the wood was seized and the three were charged.

In addition to the fines, they were required to deliver the timber to Great Blue Heron Provincial Park, where it will be used as firewood for visitors.