New Urban and Community Forestry Board.

[Jeff]

Hey Folks, we have a new addition to the topic boards on the forestry forum and a couple of new moderators I would like to introduce to you that are working for all of us in the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

First a welcome to Kevin S.  Its easiest for me to just steal his signature from his emails so thats what I am going to do.

Kevin T. Sayers - State Coordinator
Urban & Community Forestry Program
MDNR, Forest, Mineral and Fire Mgmt.
Lansing, MI  48909-7952
www.mi.gov/dnrucf

Also Welcome to Kerry.
Kerry Gray is the Emerald Ash Borer Restoration Coordinator for:
MDNR, Forest Mineral & Fire Management
PO Box 30452
Lansing, MI 48909-7952

Kerry and I go back several years ago to when we worked together on the National Capital Holiday tree program called "The Tree of Hope"  We were both on the educational committee along with our friend and long time member Stamp (Ada) who moderates our "Job Opportunities"  forum.
 

[Tom]

Welcome to your esteemed positions.  This board has a lot of potential, what with many of the member's logs coming from "yards".

[Dave Shepard]

This is a great idea! I first got interested in "treecycling" when I was working with treeservices all the time. I hated seeing all those good logs going to waste.


Dave

[Kerry]

Thanks for the warm welcome.  I agree this Board has a lot of potential.

[DanG]

Welcome to the Forum, Kevin and Kerry!  It's good to have you here.   There are lots of folks here that are involved, in one way or another, in urban forestry, so we should be seeing some interesting conversation on this new board.

JeffB, thanks for adding yet another place for us to enjoy learning and teaching.

[Kevin S]

Looking forward to seeing a lot of great discussions on this board.  Thanks to Jeff and everyone for creating such a great site and to all of you for keeping the forum going!

[Jeff]

Kerry has been lurking around the Forum from time to time about as long as anyone.  I see her register date is October 31, 2001, 12:45:43 PM. But hey, Kerry, were going to have to do something about that posting rate.  (0.005 per day) 

[metalspinner]

I feel right at home in this new board.    Urban tree's are a very good resourse for lumber.  The locals around here love it when I offer to take away there downed tree to make lumber.  It makes them feel good to know that there beloved tree is being used for something other than landfill.

[UrbanLogger]

Thanks for setting this up, Jeff--I'm gonna make it one of my daily stops.

I believe that Urban Forestry is gaining much more importance in communities across the nation as we move into times of uncertain weather, global warming related shifts in growing conditions and aging/over-mature urban forests.

Personally, I've been involved in the creation of 2 arboretums here in Memphis and work with several neighborhood association's urban forest committees as well as the West Tennessee Chapter of the Urban Forestry Council. 

And urban logging is THE growth sector of the forest products industry.

Urban Logger
aka Scott   

[Stamp]

I'm very happy to see this Board on the Forum!

[Captain]

I feel at home on this board, since my ratio of urban to traditional forestry is about 99%.   

Captain

[Todd]

Welcome Kevin and Kerry!  I think this board is going to be a great resource, especially in areas dealing with invasive species such as EAB.  i know I've met Kevin at seminars in Michigan surrounding EAB and utilization, and i really think nail hunting (I mean urban tree utilization) is going to get very popular both as a "Green" resource and as a way to reduce the costs associated with invasive species attacks. 

I'd like to pose a question here:  who has had success working with tree services, and how did you establish your relationship?  I've been processing only urban trees for 2 years now, but have not had a tree service that was interested in working with me.  Some use all their logs for mulch or firewood, some cannot take away logs over 4 feet and therefore cut them short, and some simply want too much money for logs that they have. (even is they burn or landfill them)

Any ideas?

[Dodgy Loner]

I've never dealt with tree services as a source for lumber, but the forestry club at UGA has gotten trees for firewood from one for several years.  They were usually bucked into 8' lengths or so, perfect for milling, and we cut and split some beauties!  I always wanted to turn out firewood fundraiser into a hardwood lumber fundraiser, but alas, it never came to fruition.   The forestry club is known throughout Athens as a free tree removal service in the fall, and we get calls all the time from folks who want to give us their fallen trees.  Apparantly one of the licensed tree service guys heard about us, and offered us all the hardwood logs we could handle for free.  He said that he used to haul his sawlogs to a sawyer, but the sawyer didn't pay him enough to make it worth his while, so he started giving them away for free.  I'm planning to buy a sawmill within the next couple of years, and I hope to salvage some logs from his operation when I do.

[metalspinner]

who has had success working with tree services, and how did you establish your relationship?

The problem I have run into is that the tree service thinks their logs are very valuable, and the sawyer thinks they have no value.  Both are right.   The ones with no metal, rot, disease, or shake are very nice.  However, that tree was taken out for a reason.  Usually because they were dying.  Which leads to all sorts of defect in the lumber.  Also, time is a consideration with tree services.  They don't get paid until all of the tree is removed.  They are not going to wait around to long for us to remove the log.

One tree guy that I have a relationship with feels like he has been taken advantage of by log buyer's and sawmills.  Whether or not those feelings are justfied is an argument for another day.  But he told me he would rather give them away or burn them rather than somebody "making lot's of money on them."   So he gives them to me because of my "hobby woodworker" status.

Another large tree company in town hauls everything away and sells sawlogs to the log broker and firewood to the firewood guys.  He does not give anything away.

The largest tree company in town dumps all their logs in their own log dump and lets anyone come by to take what they want - free.

[Chris Burchfield]

Thanks Jeff for the "New Kid On The Block," it's just what the Doctor ordered. Welcome Kevin and Kerry. You've probably forgotten more about what you knew more than I'll learn in my life time. Thanks to Jeff, I hope to learn lots more right here. I'm in Memphis with Urbanlogger but plan on going fulltime sawing when I retire starting May 08 mostly the next county east. Looking forward to the next few months of post here.

[pmohney]

Kevin, its great to be here!  I think this will be a great tool for all of us in the industry and will prove to be a valuable communication link for everyone interested in the industry.  I know I often have issues that come up that I feel would be valuable discussion items for others and I think this would be a great place to bring them up.  It is great to be here!

Patrick A. Mohney
Urban Forester
Davey Resource Group

[Squirrell_Boy]

Great job!

This is a great and progressive forum. I know it must take a lot to set up, run and maintain this forum. I really appreciate what you all have done.

Finally a place for us crazy fools who cut almost as many nails as boards.
I really haven't hit too many nails. That is what my metal detector is for. I have dug out my fair share and it isn't my favorite passtime, but i also know many folks who hit metal and other objects in forest grown trees.

I'm really looking forward to this new section.

[scgargoyle]

What a great idea! Here in urban PIEnellas county, I've never seen a tree go to anything but firewood and mulch. Seems like some of those big live oaks should be good for something.

[theorm]

Great job!

This is a great and progressive forum. I know it must take a lot to set up, run and maintain this forum. I really appreciate what you all have done.

I'm really looking forward to this new section.

Jeff,

You are thinking ahead and have an open mind about the future of lumbermaking. Thanks for the hard work of keeping the forum fun and informative.

Theo

[Daren]

This is right up my alley. 100% treecycled material from my sawmill/woodshop. I even have a little page on my website dedicated to it. http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/pb/wp_1b63ff05/wp_1b63ff05.html?0.2011099568218715
It is just the road I picked after seeing too many good trees go to waste when I was in the construction business. I will admit I am a "tree hugger", I love trees. I plant them all the time. Forestry management/logging in the "wild" is important economically and ecologically. But there seems to be a BIG disconnect in urban forestry. People think they are doing great things by planting trees and making green cities, and they are. But most don't see the whole picture, they let the trees their Grandfathers planted go to the landfill/burnpile. Once a tree has to be removed for whatever reason urban expansion/natural life cycle...that could just be the beginning of another thing (wood product) that will last another 100 years like the live tree did. I have done what I could over the last 4 (?) years to educate the local municipalities (and property/homeowners who would listen) how important this is to me and hope they feel the same. Some get it, some don't but I still preach it.

[WDH]

Welcome Kevin and Kerry.  This should be fun.

[Nora]

Great new forum!!!

Besides the potential for lumber type products, urban trees also produce an incredible amount of woody biomass. Besides collecting trees for sawing, there is business potential for grinding for wood fuels of various types. There are already various municipalities using their urban wood for power or heat. Click the links for a couple of photo story examples.


Recycling Urban Wood at ABCO in Idaho and Washington


Biomass One: A Community Project to Put Wood Waste to Work

[TexasTimbers]

Welcome K & K!