Boulder County Forest Health Online

Community Forestry Collection Site FAQ’s

	Why does Boulder County provide slash collection sites?
	What is a community biomass collection site?
	Why is it called a “sort yard”?
	Where are the community biomass collection sites located?
	What are the hours of operation?
	Are there sites already established?
	What kind of machinery will be onsite?
	How does the ACB unit work?
	What size and type of material can I bring?
	Can I drop-off mountain pine beetle infested wood?
	Will I get paid for the woody biomass I drop-off?
	Is there a site in Nederland?

Q: Why does Boulder County provide slash collection sites?

A:  One of the services that Boulder County provides to residents is solid and hazardous waste management. This typically includes yard waste, and in the mountain communities, waste transfer sites have been established to remove materials from forest thinning and wildfire mitigation efforts. With the rising mountain pine beetle activity in Boulder County, there is an increased need for the processing of forest waste from privately owned property. While it may be seen only in the mountains, the mountain pine beetle is a shared problem that will affect all Boulder County residents.

Effectively treating mountain pine beetle infested material is time intensive and can be costly, especially in large quantities. Previously , individual homeowners have been required to dispose of or treat the materials on their own. This has become an overwhelming process due to the increase in mountain pine beetle mortality. The Boulder County Commissioners have made Forest Health a key priority and are taking steps to help equip the county and residents to address the mountain pine beetle epidemic facing our forests. Providing sites for county residents to drop off materials is part of managing this problem.

Q: What is a community forestry collection site?

A:  Collection sites are designed to accept mountain pine beetle infested slash and wood as well as non-infested material. Material includes wood that has been removed from private property for the purposes of fire mitigation efforts, mountain pine beetle mitigation, or general forest improvement efforts. The collection sites have a minimum size of 1 acre, which allows for enough space for an air curtain burner (a highly efficient, clean burning device that burns wood and slash of all size), sorting piles for material that is dropped-off, and turn around space for cars and larger trucks. When material is dropped-off Boulder County employees will determine if it is infested material. If it is infested with mountain pine beetle it will be placed in the air curtain burner for immediate disposal. If the material is clean it will be sorted based on the log size and condition.

Q: Why is it called a “sort yard”?

A:  A sort yard is another name for a community forestry collection site because the wood that is deposited is sorted for burning, processing, or use. The uses of the wood depend upon the size and condition of the logs; it could be used for post and poles, dimensional lumber, wood chips, animal bedding, mulch, and etc.

Q: Where are the community biomass collection sites located?

A:  To make locations convenient for all mountain residents the collection locations are subject to change. Up-to-date information can be found at www.BoulderCounty.org/foresthealth

Q: What are the hours of operation?

A:  The hours of operation will be dependent on public need. The sites are specifically for private landowners so hours of operation will follow the need of landowners. Sites will not be used all year long due to winter conditions and site rotation. Sites may be closed periodically for processing of materials. It’s best for residents to check our website for the most updated information on hours of operation.

Q: Are there sites already established?

A: County residents can use a wood and slash drop-off site just north of Allenspark/Meeker Park in Larimer County at no charge through September 30.The site is located in Larimer County just off Rt. 7 on private land. There are specific hours of operation.

Q: What kind of machinery will be onsite?

A: There will be an air curtain burner, skidsteer to load material into the air curtain burner, chainsaw, and type 3 fire engine.

Q: How does the Air Curtain Burner unit work?

A:  Air curtain burners (ACB) are efficient and safe machines that are loaded up with wood, slash, needles, chips or other wood waste for burning. The ACB blow high velocity air (curtain) across and into a combustion chamber. The curtain of air over oxygenates the fire creating a high degree of combustion which entraps particulates (smoke) limiting the amount of emissions. ACB units produce lower smoke emissions compared to pile burning, they can burn a greater variety of material such as green fuel, operate with fewer weather restrictions, and the fire within the box can easily be contained and extinguished quickly if necessary. The ACB is a recently purchased but widely used piece of equipment that will allow Boulder County to dispose of more wood waste with fewer air quality emissions than slash burning.

Q: What size and type of material can I bring?

A: There are no restrictions on size or type of material accepted at Boulder County sort yards. However, construction material, root balls, woody material with metal, and/or trash will not be accepted.

Q: Can I drop-off mountain pine beetle infested wood?

A:  The Boulder County sort yard sites will have the ability to accept mountain pine beetle infested material and biomass and have the ability to properly dispose of the biomass. Extra precautions will be taken during beetle flight time from July through September, including the possible closure of these sites, to ensure that sites do not further the mountain pine beetle infestations.

Q: What will the products be used for?

A:  The products will be used wherever there is a demand or market for the wood, and for whoever will pick up and remove the materials at no charge to the County. An organization called “Peak to Peak Wood” has been created to find companies that can utilize a wide variety of biomass materials. Examples of possible end products are bedding for livestock, chips, post and poles, logs for dimensional lumber, firewood, mulch, and/or biomass energy.

Q: Will I get paid for the woody biomass I drop-off?

A:  The operating cost of the sort yards and processing are high, so residents will not be paid for the woody biomass that they drop-off. Any money that is recouped through the sale of wood will be utilized toward the operating cost of the collection sites. Residents will not be charged for the drop off and processing of wood. Boulder County will not generate revenue at the community biomass collection sites – the sites are a service to County residents.

Q: Is there a site in Nederland?

A:  Boulder County is working with the community of Nederland to find a location for a community biomass collection site in or near the Town of Nederland. The specifications for the site are very specific, requiring specific slope, location, access, and size. There have been a variety of obstacles and challenges in finding a suitable site within the vicinity of the Town of Nederland, but the County aims to find an acceptable location by spring, 2009.

Contact Us:

To send an email, write: pinebeetle@bouldercounty.org.

For questions concerning property owners and private land issues, please contact:

Ryan Ludlow, Education and Outreach Coordinator,
Boulder County Land Use Department,
720-564-2641

For questions about County-managed open space lands, please contact:

Chad Julian, Sr. Resource Specialist, Forestry and Fire,
Boulder County Parks & Open Space,
303-678-6202

For information related to private land concerns and "best practices" for tree and forest management, visit:

Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS)

For constituent questions and concerns, contact:

Carrie Haverfield, Constituent Services Liaison
Boulder County Commissioners' Office
303-441-1688

For media inquiries and general information, contact:

Barb Halpin, Public Information Officer
Boulder County Commissioners' Office
303-441-1622