Finding Wood on Holidays – A Practical Guide for Woodturners

Every now and then I get an email from a fellow woodturner who has found themselves in a familiar situation. You’re away on holiday, maybe travelling by campervan or motorhome, and you stumble across a fallen tree or freshly felled timber. The temptation is immediate, especially if it’s a species you don’t see at home.

Can I bring this back? Is it worth it? Will customs allow it?

Before going any further, I want to be very clear about one thing.

I am not advising anyone to sneak wood across borders. If there is any doubt, you should check with Customs before travelling, and you should declare the wood on arrival.

Seizure and destruction of the timber is a real possibility, and that risk needs to be understood upfront. In more serious cases, fines may be issued or notes added to a customs record. Rules can change, enforcement varies by country and circumstance, and responsibility always rests with the traveller.

This post is about thinking things through, not about avoiding regulations.

Finding Wood on Holiday, Freshly Cut Logs Ready for Turning

Why Woodturners Look for Wood on Holiday

Woodturners are magpies by nature. We notice grain, colour, and character where others see firewood.

Finding wood on holiday can feel special, especially when:

• It’s a local species you don’t have access to at home

• The wood comes from a meaningful place or encounter

• You plan to make something as a gift for someone you met along the way

Olive, fruit woods, and native species from warmer climates are especially tempting. They carry a story as much as a figure. But sentiment doesn’t override biosecurity.

Borders, Pests, and Why Customs Care

Moving wood between countries, whether that’s France, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the UK, or elsewhere, isn’t the same as bringing home a fully dried and lacquered souvenir.

Wood can carry:

• Insects and larvae

• Fungal spores

• Diseases that affect native trees

Bark is one of the biggest red flags. Greenwood is another. Even small pieces can pose a risk, which is why customs authorities take this seriously.

If you are stopped and the wood is seized and destroyed, that is not punishment, it’s protection of local ecosystems. That possibility should always be factored in before you even consider bringing wood home.

If you’re unsure, declare it. If you’re still unsure, don’t bring it. Many countries issue fines for breaches of these rules so don't take the risk would be my advice.

What Might Reduce Risk (But Never Removes It)

This is not advice, just practical considerations based on experience and common sense.

Smaller pieces are generally less problematic than large logs, but size alone doesn’t make something acceptable.

Factors that may reduce risk include:

• Wood that is fully debarked

• No visible insect holes or signs of infestation

• Cut down to blank-sized sections, not round logs

• Avoiding freshly felled, sopping wet material

• Properly sealed ends if the wood is already dry

Even then, there is no guarantee customs will allow it through. Declaring the wood is always the correct approach.

A Real Example – Olive Wood Found on Holiday

I recently received an email from someone travelling through Portugal in a motorhome. An olive tree in the campsite had been felled for safety reasons, and a few branch sections were set aside with the hope of making pen blanks later.

Olive is a beautiful wood, but it also raises several practical issues:

• It is often quite oily, which affects drying and finishing

• Bark can harbour insects

• Long, thick green sections are the worst format for travel

• Bagging green wood traps moisture and can encourage pests

• Storing green timber in a motorhome for weeks risks damage to both the wood and the vehicle

Removing the bark can help reduce risk, but it is not a guarantee. Leaving green wood sealed in bags for weeks is rarely a good idea, and neither is assuming it will be acceptable at a border crossing.

Sometimes the hardest decision is also the right one, leaving the wood behind and finding another way to mark the experience.

Processing Wood Properly Still Matters

If you do legally and responsibly source wood that you are allowed to bring home, it still needs to be processed correctly. Debarking, cutting, sealing, and drying are all essential steps if the wood is to survive long enough to be usable. Cutting through the pith can stabilise the wood and also show you if there are internal issue with bugs.

I’ve covered that in detail in my post on How to Process Logs for Woodturning, which goes into far more depth on the workshop side of things.

Handling larger or awkward sections safely is just as important, which is why I also put together a simple woodturner’s cutting bench, designed to make processing heavy logs more controlled and easier on the body.

The Simple Alternative – Avoid the Hassle Altogether

There’s also a point where romance meets reality.

Customs checks, biosecurity concerns, drying time, waste, and the risk of losing the wood entirely can quickly take the shine off a “found wood” idea. In many cases, using properly prepared blanks avoids all of that:

• No customs issues

• No pest risk

• Known species and moisture content

• Ready to turn when you get home

Sometimes the best way to honour an experience is to make something well, rather than to bring everything back with you.

Final Thoughts

Finding wood on holiday is appealing, and I completely understand why people ask these questions. But responsibility comes first, to your own workshop, to local environments, and to the rules that exist for good reasons.

Always check with customs in both countries before travelling. Always declare if there is any doubt. And accept that seizure and destruction is a real possibility.

Not every good piece of wood needs to come home with you, and that’s okay.

Thanks for Reading,

David

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a woodturner and small business owner based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been working with wood for most of my life at this stage — 11 years as a carpenter and over a decade running my own woodturning business.

Over the years, I’ve learned that woodturning is as much about patience and problem-solving as it is about tools and technique. I work mainly with Irish hardwoods, teach woodturning full-time, and spend most days learning something new in the workshop myself. On this site, I share the same practical knowledge I pass on to my students, shaped by experience, mistakes, and time spent at the lathe.

If buffing, finishing, or other woodturning questions are on your mind, you’re very welcome to join me for a tuition class in Tralee. We’ll work through things at your pace and see if we can get you properly sorted. You can find full details and current class options on my Woodturning Tuition page.

© David Condon Woodcraft – All Rights Reserved.

☕ Buy Me a Coffee?

I used to run ads on my website to generate a small income, but they slowed things down and didn’t fit the feel of what I’m building here. So, I’ve removed them in favor of something simpler and more personal—a “Buy Me a Coffee” button.

If you found this post interesting, helpful, or simply enjoyable, feel free to use the link below to show your support. No pressure at all—but every little bit helps, and it’s always genuinely appreciated. As a small independent maker, I rely on a mix of teaching, crafting, and sharing to keep things going. This is just one way to help keep the shavings flying. Thanks so much!

More Woodturning Pages to Explore​

● Hampshire Sheen - Fine Finishing products that will highlight your project pieces

● Hamlet Tools - Fantastic Woodturning Tools from a well trusted brand

● Woodcraft Hub - View my woodcraft creations for inspiration of gift buying.

● Sanding Essentials - Essential sanding products for Woodturners & Woodworkers.

● Woodturning Blanks - A fine range of Hardwood Spindle Blanks & a few Bowl Blanks too!

● Woodturning Pen Blanks - A huge assortment of Acrylic & Irish Hardwood Pen Blanks.

● Crafter's Haven – A vast range of craft supplies for crafters and gift givers!

Original content © David Condon Woodcraft — Written by David Condon. Please credit and link if shared.