Navigating the Open Forest Website
You can use the following written tutorial allowing you to follow along in order or skip to specific sections, complete with screen-shots and detailed instructions:
In order to get to the Open Forest home page, simply click here.This will take you directly to where you, as the user, are immediately presented the option to choose your forest for firewood. All of the forests participating in the pilot are listed in the dropdown.
Scrolling further down the page allows you to see the two options that the Special Use application system has piloted for online: Noncommercial Group Use and Temporary Outfitting and Guides. There is also a link that will provide help in choosing which Special Use permit to apply for.
Since Christmas trees has moved to recreation.gov, there is a link under Special Uses to direct users to recreation.gov for their Christmas tree permits.
Towards the bottom of the page, you will see an interactive map that users can use to locate their nearest National Forest.
There is also a short informational paragraph about the Forest Service. The footer (shown on all pages) includes links to other general information such as the customer support email, social media, and other important links to USDA web pages.
At this point, depending on the permit you want, you can either select a forest from the drop-down menu and click "Get Started Now" or you can choose a Special Use application and click "Sign In with Login.gov" or "Learn More".
Each forest has the same layout for the information page. When it opens, the user will be able to see the navigational sidebar on the left side of the page. These links will highlight each of the different informational sections on firewood gathering. They are all tailored to each forest’s rules and regulations and offer helpful tips for gathering firewood. The sections that are on the page are as follows:
- Getting a firewood permit
- This section displays the general information such as cost of a cord, when the season is and how many cords the forest will allow a user to gather. It also informs that all the permits purchased will be non-refundable.
- Where to find firewood
- This section has a few subsections included which tell the user about "prohibited areas and restrictions", "where you can collect" and "what kind of wood you can collect". Some forests have provided downloadable maps which tell a user where they are permitted to gather firewood and shows a map of the service roads in the area. If a forest does not have maps, a link is provided that takes the user to the forest's general maps and publications page.
- How to gather your firewood
- This section also includes subsections of information pertaining to "equipment you'll need", "what to expect", and "tagging your load". The first subsection includes the information about what equipment is needed and prohibited. Next in this section there are generic and forest specific advice on what to expect and watch out for. Lastly, there is information on tagging your load. We are implementing tagging for all forests, even the ones that do not currently require load tags. Information for how to do this is found in this subsection.
- Contact us
- This section includes a link to local vendors (where people can go locally to purchase firewood permits in person) as well as the contact information for forest offices. Finally, at the very bottom of the page is the link that will take the user out of Open Forest and to the named forest’s website.
When the user is ready to buy a permit, they will need to click on the “Buy Permit” button that appears near the top of the Information page. If the user scrolls or navigates to another section of the information page, the "Buy Permit" button will appear in a drop down banner at the top of the page so that the user can choose to buy their permit from any place in the information page.
After clicking on the "Buy Permit" button the user will be prompted to sign in to their login.gov account. If they do not have an account, they will be asked to make one to complete the permit application. After signing in, the user will be taken to the first page that allows them to put in the "Permit Holder" information. They will be asked how many cords they want to collect, their name, and email address and they will be asked to check a box for acknowledgement that Open Forest will collect and store the information they entered.
The next page will take the user to the Rules and Guidelines for their chosen forest listed out again. The user will have to acknowledge that they have read and agree to uphold these rules before they can move to the next step. There are rules on this page that are specific to the permit, and rules that are specific to firewood gathering.
The next step it to "Continue to Checkout", which will take the user out of Open Forest and into Pay.gov. It will ask the user how they want to pay and then prompt them to enter and confirm all their payment information. Once their payment is submitted, the user will be directed back to the Open Forest "Firewood permit order confirmation" page.
While at the confirmation page they will have the option to print out a pdf of their permit directly from the site as well as a copy of the rules and regulations and load tags. It will also show the user's order summary and basic details.
The email address is also listed again to remind the user that their permit, rules, and order summary has also been emailed to them.
The pilot forest for Special Use application is the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. If a user is looking for a permit elsewhere, they will need to go to their local district offices.
As such, the only two permits offered online at this point are the Noncommercial Group Use and Temporary Outfitting and Guides. From the home page, you will have the option to either immediately sign in to Login.gov to apply or Learn More about the permit.
The Noncommercial Group Use Learn More page includes sections such as "Who has to get a permit under the regulation?", "application requirements", "evaluation process" and "contact us". This includes all the information that you would have to have prepared when applying as well as rules pertaining to the application process.
The Temporary Outfitting and Guides Learn More page includes more information as it is a more detailed application process. The sections are as follows: "A temporary use permit is", "Applicant requirements", "Number of permits and service days", "Benefits of a temporary use permit", "Activities and locations", "Cost estimate", "Application due dates", and "Contact us". This includes all the information that you would need to have prepared when applying, including documentation as well as the rules pertaining to the application process.
At the bottom of each of these pages, there will also be an "Apply" button to take you straight to the application from this page.
After clicking on either the "Sign in to apply" or the "Apply" button for either application, the user will be prompted to sign in to their login.gov account. If they do not have an account, they will be asked to make one to complete the permit application.
Noncommercial Group Use Application
Once they are signed in to their login.gov account, the user will be prompted to enter first, their applicant details such as name, address, phone number and email address.
They will then need to enter the information about their event such as the name of it, whether it is for an organization, the amount of participants, description of proposed activities, the date and how long the event will be running.
At the bottom of the application, they will be required to sign with their initials and check a box to acknowledge that Open Forest will store their name and email address.
After completing the application, the user will be taken to the application confirmation page where they will be notified that their application has been submitted for review. It reminds applicants that their application is not approved until they hear from a special use administrator and states that approval is not guaranteed.
The email address is listed again to remind users that information about their application has also been emailed to them. The contact information for the Special Use administrator is listed on the page.
Temporary Outfitting and Guides
Once they are signed in to their login.gov account, the user will be prompted to enter first, their applicant details such as name, address, phone number and email address. They are also asked who they are as the applicant aka as an individual or as part of an organization.
They are then asked for a description of their proposed activity which includes the dates and times, number of trips, party size, services being offered and a description of the client base or audience. They are also asked to check additional equipment or people needed. Applicants are also asked to describe their clean up and restoration, location of routes and if they have any maps included.
Users then need to include details on their advertising, including estimation of charges and a promotional website. They will also need to describe client charges and include a list of guides and licenses. Users are asked to submit an operating plan as well.
Documentation will then be required for liability insurance and is optional for the client's acknowledgement of risk. Users are asked to check off their current level of experience before initialing the application as their signature. Users must also check a box to acknowledge that Open Forest will store their name and email address.
After completing the application, the user will be taken to the application confirmation page where they will be notified that their application has been submitted for review. It reminds applicants that their application is not approved until they hear from a special use administrator and states that approval is not guaranteed.
The email address is listed again to remind users that information about their application has also been emailed to them. The contact information for the Special Use administrator is listed on the page.