Ive always wondered what happens to the branches that fall on state property or state roads or even town roads. I assume that jurisdiction's DPW has to come and clear them off the road and take them somewhere. Does anyone know what happens to those branches or trees? I may go down one day by the city dump and just ask.
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They won't let you touch them here, it is behind a gate and then a fence. My guess is the primo stuff goes home with the guys before the semi mounted tub grinder shows up on the lot for the rest.
It depends where you live. Around here in PA I see some down wood on right-of-ways cut to stove length and stacked. I assume this is fair pickings. I know of several piles that have rotted in place over the years, so I do not think the road crews ever return for the wood. I have never broken out the chainsaw along a road, I only pick up stuff I can carry. I only pick up wood that is adjacent to some sort of property not in private citizen ownership, such as state gamelands, water or electric company property (technically private, but they don't want firewood), state forest, etc.
Where the wood goes after the crews remove it varies. Here I think almost everything gets chipped and blown back onto the right of way.
Where the wood goes after the crews remove it varies. Here I think almost everything gets chipped and blown back onto the right of way.
bluedogz
Minister of Fire
Here in MD they leave it for the picking; after a few days it goes to the county dump where there's a designated "free firewood" area. After that it's mulched and you can have that free too.
They bought a huge stump grinder here and built a building over it.
The wood chips and bark get mixed with sewer sludge, composted for a bit and becomes potting soil.
If you don't snag any rounds while they are on the side of the road you've lost your chance.
They've been cutting straight into trucks lately leaving nothing but sawdust.
The wood chips and bark get mixed with sewer sludge, composted for a bit and becomes potting soil.
If you don't snag any rounds while they are on the side of the road you've lost your chance.
They've been cutting straight into trucks lately leaving nothing but sawdust.
I tried scoring some wood from the dump myself, without any luck. They wont let you get near it.
A few years back noticed the public works dept trucks parked at the local tim hortons. Asked if they can donate some of that wood for a case of beer.
30 minutes later i had a decent score ; )
A few years back noticed the public works dept trucks parked at the local tim hortons. Asked if they can donate some of that wood for a case of beer.
30 minutes later i had a decent score ; )
The local municipality near me has a lot they dump on, its first come first serve. Too far of a ride for me to be worth it, plus I've heard of fights breaking out over the "good" stuff.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
What gets my goat is that all that wood that sits at the highway dept yard that they keep as their private stash, was probably cut getting paid O/T.....can you imagine going to work, getting paid O/T to collect wood for your own personal use, while the taxpayer pays the bill and can't touch a stick.....I know I'll probably get blasted, but I gotta vent
CTguy9230
Feeling the Heat
Where I live it goes to the county landfill. They turn it into mulch.
A few years back the attendant at the landfill said that stuff was free for the taking when it was dropped off. After it's shredded though, and it turns to mulch, they sell it for $10 a yard.
A few years back the attendant at the landfill said that stuff was free for the taking when it was dropped off. After it's shredded though, and it turns to mulch, they sell it for $10 a yard.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
I did ask at the highway dept when we had the October storm blow thru here....I asked what they did with all the trees that were cut and removed....I saw truck loads of stuff...I was told "they are not done with them yet"....I asked "what do you mean "not done with them yet""....she said I'd have to ask someone else. I know someone who is a retired town worker, told me where it was, I was told that it was a restricted area, no public allowed.CTguy9230 said:
CTguy9230
Feeling the Heat
i know that alot of towns in CT applied for FEMA money after the storm
to try and recoup some of the cost of clean up, and that one sitpulation
of getting that money is ...FEMA representitives need to see the actual
wood, and or loads of brush, and....from what i've been told is, if a town has
applied for FEMA money, all wood and chips belong to FEMA.
to try and recoup some of the cost of clean up, and that one sitpulation
of getting that money is ...FEMA representitives need to see the actual
wood, and or loads of brush, and....from what i've been told is, if a town has
applied for FEMA money, all wood and chips belong to FEMA.
I work for Devens public works and we actualy stage all cut wood (8 ft sections) in a designated area where people can purchase a cutting permit for $10 and take as much wood as they want.Unfortunately most branches get chipped.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
Now that I can understand, and would actually promote the idea.....Public gets something for the money spent....and the $10 Cutting Permit adds to the town coffersmnkywrnch said:
CTguy9230
Feeling the Heat
plus another reason is....people today are sue happy.
i,m 100% sure if the towns let you go onto THEIR property
to cut wood and you got hurt..someone would with out a doubt
be on the phone to their lawyer in seconds looking to become an
overnight millionaire...
i,m 100% sure if the towns let you go onto THEIR property
to cut wood and you got hurt..someone would with out a doubt
be on the phone to their lawyer in seconds looking to become an
overnight millionaire...
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
Beer Belly said:
Why do you think they were getting overtime? Werre they working on a weekend? All you gotta do is ask and if they say no your no worst off than you were before. The town I grew up in sends out a crew and bucks the wood and loads it up a few days later. If it's gone when they get back the town doesn't have to pay to get rid of it.
Over the summer while driving through one of our county parks, I noticed a huge ash tree had been downed and was bucked into 3' sections. I located a park ranger and asked him if I could take it. He told me that "usually", the parks gather all the wood throughout the year and put it in piles at one of the larger parks and then auction it off in the fall.
He actually called the park supervisor to see if I could have it, though, and I got lucky. Their equipment was broke down and the super said to take it.
He actually called the park supervisor to see if I could have it, though, and I got lucky. Their equipment was broke down and the super said to take it.
Blue Vomit
Minister of Fire
Beer Belly said:
Most jobs have their perks. I don't see much of a problem there. As I posted in another thread, a little beer can go a long way. ;-)
CTguy9230
Feeling the Heat
Blue Vomit said:
i was just about to say the same thing..except it dosent always need to be beer..
sometimes a box of donuts or a box of coffee will do.
you go in with the attitude you've shown here and i can pretty much bet, you'll get
no wood
NYC grinds up all wood taken out of parks, streets. They started this after the ELB issue. I understand it all goes to mulch producers.
Around here the state has eliminated the wood cutting program in state forests. However, if there are downed trees/limbs that are within 15 feet of the road, they are open to scrounging. I ended up with 5 cords this past Nov/Dec. I may have cheated a little and gone in after downed trees that were more like 100 ft or so.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
Of course I don't go in with the 'tude....thats why I vent here. I know jobs have perks, but there should be an option for the resident who burns wood......here's a shocker...I work for a local town BoE, Union President, and still can't touch a stick...it's reserved for the Highway Dept. only.CTguy9230 said:
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