Free Wood Chips

[Chesslike]

[Wrightwood]

If you do get free wood chips do not stack them any closer than 6 feet from pine trees or you risk a bark beetle attack.

[treehugger]

I would like to put some wood chips out back for a kids play area, similar to what they have over in the park. According to my gorrila math, I need about 12 yards.

Anybody have a source?

[Surfer_Dude]

If you find them I need some too.

[ezzpete]

me too

[liz]

Also thinking about putting wood chips in front, to create some semblance of intentional landscaping. Do they increase fire danger? I think you get them from places that sell gravel etc., but I am not really sure. If I find out more, I'll post here.

[KWBoy]

sure A rock yard or a nursery would have some

[Chesslike]

The following link has a number for a place that was giving out free wood chips. Not sure if they still are, but it is worth a try.

http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php/topic,715.0.html

[K9luvr]

Do they increase fire danger?

Anything flammable within 30 feet of the house will increase the fire danger.  Also, if they are more than 2" deep, I've heard they can harbor bark beetles.  If you have any pine trees near by, you may not want to put them very deep.

[Wrightwood]

There are wood chips specifically designed for playground areas and they are expensive. Then there are wood chips of varying consistencies used for decorative purposes.

At a Lake Arrowhead Spruce up for Spring event 2 years ago a company called Topper's Tree Service had some great wood colored chips on displayed. I'll see if I can get additional information on them.

Then there are wood chips that are currently being made from the remains  of our local trees (slash) are of varying consistencies. If the chipper blades are dull the chips are long and stringy and likewise if the chipping includes a lot of weedy vegetation. The chips made from bark beetle infested trees can cause problems as K9luvr pointed out.

The best place to learn about wood chips is at Wrightwood's Wildfire Awareness Day on May 13. There will be a number of experts on hand that can give you details on how to best utilize wood chips around the house. Gary Nakamura, a Forestry Specialist from the Center for Forestry, Berkeley will be on hand and is a tree expert. Dr. Laura Merrill is an Entomologist for the Forest Service and also is an expert in the field.

Wood chips will again be utilized as a decorative ground cover in the parking lot of Mountain Hardware during Wildfire Awareness Day 2006.

[michael]

[Rickster]

I've noticed a lot of homes and comercial property landscaped with wood chips (not bark) can anyone tell me were you get them from? Any information would be great. Thank you

[Blackcomb]

It's called "Bark Mulch" or "Shavings". It's being used more commonly now in landscaping. You can usually pick it up through your local nursery.

[Tron]

You are welcome to haul as little or as much as you like. There are enough wood chips to cover at least 1000 sq. feet. Probably more. Some is loose, some is bagged, and some is in a pile in our driveway. I have pictures, but do not know how to post them here

 

[kawasaki_girl]

I am hoping the bark is still available. I sent you a PM... if anyone knows of any bark available, please call me, thanks! 249-1105
Robbie

[Tron]

Thanks everybody, We have given away all the wood chips we can. Tron