Trees going to waste

[Qweaver]

Here in WV pipe line construction is causing 1000s of tons of logs to  go to waste.  We tried to save as much as we could on a friends farm.  We've sawed some but the majority will end up rotting in the stacks.  Sad.  His farm is 80 miles away and it it just not practical for me to transport. What a waste  :(

[Skip]

Same thing going on up here, great looking logs end up not fit for firewood . :'(

[curdog]

We had a pipeline come through a year or so ago. Some of the logs were sold, but a lot of it was mulched. One guy told them they could dump a little mulch on his property... he didn't really check on it, now there is between 4 to 5 acres of land covered in mulch that is piled about 10-15 feet thick...that little bit of free mulch turned into a lot.  It kept catching fire for a few months. But it was faster to mulch it than carry it to a mill...

[Ron Wenrich]

They're in the pipeline installing business, not the log selling business.  They look at them as a problem and I don't know if they get the revenue, or it is the landowner responsibility.  

I do know they spend a ton on crane mats.  They use log trucks to haul them around.  If they could figure out how to turn those logs into crane mats, they might be interested in the idea.   ;)

[Smithkp]

I guess I am what you would call an urban logger. 100% of my business comes from free logs I can salvage from tree services and storm damage. It is not easy. All the tree service company's would much rather just take them to the dump and not leave them for me to pick up. They even have to drive 10 miles past my mill to dump them. If they aren't dumping them, they grind them up to "pave" their equipment yards or just pile the mulch up.

The only way for me to salvage a log is to get to the homeowner before they strike up a deal with the tree service guys to leave the main trunk on site.

[Ron Wenrich]

I worked a project in NJ that dealt with urban logs.  We could only take logs that they would dump off.  There could be no restrictions.  Some sort of city ordinance.  Tipping fees were $125/ton, so they dumped all types of logs.  Biggest problem we had was tramp metal.  Even after being scanned with metal detectors.

The other problem we had was logs were normally short.  Tree trimmers had a problem loading logs due to weight.  A lot of 7' logs.  There were also a lot of trimming that needed to make the log easier to handle.  Sometimes free ain't free.

[florida]

I can tell you why they go to waste. Because no good deed goes unpunished. I couldn't even begin to count the times we've demoed houses and had to throw out  good cabinets, appliances, carpet, plumbing fixtures, anything you can think of we've pitched. I rehabbed a bunch of countyowned houses where everything in them was brand new! People would tell me they wanted, pick anything, so I'd set it aside for them. Of course they never showed up and by that time the dumpster was gone. It's happened over and over. Now we just pitch it all. 

[barbender]

Yep, it becomes one more headache, and one where there's nothng in it for you.

[mike_belben]

I am a semi reformed junk rescuer.. It'll take over your life.  Seen many people fill up their schedules with chasing a freebie because its free.. Renting storage space, having containers and buildings and tarped piles just filled with stuff that they couldnt see tossed and will never has use for or sell or give away. It can take over and push people away from you pretty bad.

If i know someone who might want something i see ill call and tell them about it but im not grabbing it then trying to find a person who wants a peepee mattress or couch. And dont get me wrong i still drag home my share but it has to fit into a category of a material i consume alot (say pallets or metal) or something i cant just run out and buy cheap .. Like hey im scrapping this trencher.. Yeah that i will fool with.  If it can get parked outback out of site in the rain thats different.  I hate clutter inside my home.  My wife and kids LOVE it.  Argh..