Building with Urban Trees
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Harvesting and utilizing wood which would otherwise end up in the landfill. February 28, 2004
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From Steve Bratkovich, Value Added Wood Processing Forum Technical Advisor:
I just received a message from a woodworker in Kansas who is building furniture and related products from urban trees. In most cases he is pulling trees from landfills and converting them into finished products - a real value added enterprise.
Almost all of the trees I receive are urban trees. I have a few tree cutters who keep me supplied. The only drawback to these trees is that there might be metal in them. Losing a blade once in a while is certainly worth the wood you get back.
From Steve Bratkovich:
Yes, there is a lot of good wood in urban trees. My recommendation to beginners is to invest in a hand-held metal detector so the logs can be scanned before sawing. I have seen a lot of beautiful furniture crafted from urban trees that were diverted from the landfill or the firewood pile.
A new book is available on utilizing urban trees. The title is "Harvesting Urban Timber: A Complete Guide" by Dr. Sam Sherrill.
I find harvesting urban trees to be both rewarding and potentially lucrative. I really believe that by converting these trees to usable lumber we are extending the sustainability of our non-urban forests and raising awareness of the importance of urban forestry.
I just went to my local landfill. They said they accept logs there, but not branches. I asked what they do with the logs, and she told me they bury them with the rest of the trash. I asked if I can have them, and she said "Sorry, but nothing is allowed out of the landfill." How are you guys getting logs out of landfills?
From Steve Bratkovich:
Some landfills are very happy to give logs away; others will permit a portable mill to be set up on-site. Don't give up just because one person said no. Check with local recycling centers or other groups that would support what you would like to do; I'm sure you can find lots of support for rescuing good wood from the landfill.
The comments below were added after this Forum discussion was archived as a Knowledge Base article (add your comment).
Comment from contributor S:
Even if the landfill stands firm on their nothing-comes-back-out policy, you can probably divert a sufficient supply of lumber from going in, in the first place. My guess is that a good percentage of the wood that goes in comes from just a few sources such as landscaping companies and the power and phone companies. They might be willing to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement with you.
