The Good Wood Scheme

Nelson and Richmond have poor winter air quality with excessive amounts of small particles (PM₁₀) causing pollution. The major cause of poor air quality is emissions from domestic open fires and enclosed burners. The way people manage their wood supplies and what they burn plays a significant part in determining how much of these particles are produced.

The Nelson City and Tasman District Councils wish to promote reducing this pollution through the Good Wood Supplier scheme.  It is a joint project between the Councils and wood suppliers, who undertake to supply firewood according to best practice and contribute to improving air quality in Nelson and Richmond.

Look for the Good Wood Tick

When you choose a Good Wood supplier, you're opting for a trusted source of dry firewood that will burn well, keeping your home warmer and our air cleaner.

Don't forget to clean your chimney too. Not only is this important to help prevent chimney fires, it will also help your wood burner run more efficiently.

Firewood with a moisture content of more than 25% is banned in Tasman and Nelson. Green wood that has recently been cut or wood that has not been stored properly or for long enough does not meet this requirement.

Council’s Good Wood Scheme participants have agreed to supply Nelson and Tasman householders with either:

• Seasoned firewood, suitable for immediate use during the winter months, or
• Green (unseasoned) firewood delivered sufficiently far in advance of winter so that, if properly stored by the user, it will be seasoned for use in the winter months. Ideally, this would be before Christmas for the following winter.

When ordering seasoned wood from a Good Wood supplier, request that the wood complies with Council’s maximum moisture requirements. If it doesn’t, don’t accept the delivery. Test by striking two pieces of wood together - dry wood will make a sharp cracking sound. Cracks at the end of the wood are another sign that it is dry.

Alternatively, buy green wood in time for it to be seasoned before winter. Ensure that any green wood purchased is stored so that the air can circulate freely and is sheltered from rain. Wood will take between 4 and 12 months to season.

Be Aware of 'Roadside' Supply

If you choose to purchase firewood from a 'side of the road' source, you may get caught out with a green load. This will be difficult to burn, it won't produce as much heat as dry wood, and it will be extremely smoky.

Likewise, if you have cut down a tree, stack it and allow it to season for 12 months before burning. Cut it into suitable sized pieces for your wood burner as well. Chunks that are too large will not burn properly, meaning less heat and more smoke.

Get Your Fire Off to a Great Start

Start with plenty of crumpled paper and dry kindling wood (cut from your Good Wood supply) and keep all the air vents wide open.

A Good Wood Supplier says, “It’s important to start with small pieces of wood and gradually add bigger bits as the fire builds up. Some people are tempted to put large logs on too soon, thinking they’ll get warm faster.  It’s actually much worse, - you just produce more smoke and can sometimes put the fire out altogether.”

The ideal size for your firewood is a thickness of about 10 – 15 centimetres. That will ensure your fire keeps ticking over and producing good warmth while keeping the smoke down.

Remember you’ll burn better, brighter and hotter all night if you start off right!

Good Wood Suppliers 

The following companies are Good Wood Suppliers.

Company	Contact	Address	Phone
A Miller and Sons Ltd	Paul McLennan	127 Bolt Road, Tahunanui, Nelson 7011	03 547 6850
Bay Firewood	Arlun Wells	315 Takaka-Collingwood Highway	03 525 9560 027 769 6348
Mickey Rat Firewood	Mark Elvines	Bryant Road, Brightwater 7022	03 542 3922 027 334 4291
Richmond Wood and Coal	Ashley and Melinda Kelly	Beach Road, Richmond	03 544 6473
Riwaka Valley Firewood	Hugh Drummond	Riwaka Valley, RD 3, Motueka	03 528 9878
Russ Firewood	Murray and Judy Russ	34 Landsdowne Road, Appleby, Richmond 7081	03 544 5151 027 450 0619
The Wright Firewood Company	Phil Wright	Brightwater	03 544 4350 027 443 4909