King County offers tips on managing trees, limbs and brush damaged by storm

Wood recycler to accept storm debris for free this Saturday, Dec. 23

Last week's powerful windstorm has left many King County residents with major cleanup projects on their hands -- including downed trees, limbs and brush.

"It is saddening to see our favorite trees toppled over and the clean up work can seem overwhelming. The good news is that unless a downed tree is posing an immediate threat to safety, you have time to consider the best option for your next steps," said Greg Rabourn, a naturalist with the King County Water and Land Resources division, and co-host of "Yard Talk," a natural landscaping program on King County Television.

In King County, stumps, tree limbs and brush can be recycled at one of a number of commercial recycling processors and turned into valuable wood chips or mulch. Visit the Solid Waste Division Web site, www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/, for details. In many cases these recycling options are significantly less expensive than disposal.

In fact, Rainier Wood Recyclers will be accepting "storm debris" from homeowners free of charge from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday only (Dec. 23). Rainier will accept branches, limbs and trunks from fallen trees, along with unpainted and untreated fencing that was blown down by the storm at two locations:

• Auburn- 32300 148th Avenue SE, 253-333-0333
• Fall City- 33216 SE Redmond Fall City Road (State Route 202), 425-222-0008

Rabourn also encouraged residents to consider other natural yard care options.

"Before you spend time and money moving the material, you might consider leaving some or all the fallen trees where they fell," Rabourn said. "Stumps, logs and branches can be ground or chipped and left onsite as mulch. The resulting material can be spread in a 2-4 inch layer around woody trees and shrubs."

Rabourn said chipping machines can be rented through an equipment rental store, or a professional can be hired to do the job for you. To learn more about mulching, visit http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/naturalyardcare/mulch.asp.

Create brush piles -- Many different birds including hummingbirds, towhees, thrushes, sparrows and chickadees use brush piles for food and shelter. Simply crisscross brush in a manner that creates different sized openings throughout the pile. Try a pile at least 3 -5 feet in diameter with larger material on the bottom. Locate away a minimum of 30 feet away from your home where it will not be a fire hazard.

Leave root wads - In forested and natural settings exposed root wads provide excellent habitat for a variety of small animals.

Snag it - If your tree snapped off above the ground and does not pose a safety hazard, consider leaving it as a wildlife snag.

"Snags provide excellent wildlife habitat for food and shelter and can add an interesting vertical landscape feature," Rabourn said. "If you have a professional arborist out removing a hazard tree, ask if they can leave at least an 8-foot tall section standing for wildlife."

Avoid topping trees - Topping trees creates an unhealthy tree that is more likely to fall. Deal only with certified arborists or foresters. Plant Amnesty at http://www.plantamnesty.org/ has more information and an arborist referral service.

Using timbers as edging - Evergreen logs can make excellent natural edging between lawns and garden beds. Or use this newly available wood to create some new raised garden beds.

As wood decays it attracts a variety of insects. That is what helps attract all the birds and other animals. To avoid introducing insect problems such as carpenter ants, keep rotting wood away from your home.

"It's important to consult with a certified forester or arborist if you've still got questions about the safety or condition of a tree," Rabourn said. "Many trees have been lost to the windstorm, and we don't want to lose many more to bad advice or hysteria."

Replant new trees -- The winter is a great time to replant native trees and shrubs in the northwest. Not only will your new trees get growing, planting can be quite therapeutic as well. Visit http://dnr.metrokc.gov/gonative/ for help picking the right plants for the right place.

Make lumber -- A list of small-scale sawmills can be found at http://ext.nrs.wsu.edu/forestryext/sawmill/index.htm on the Internet.

More information on how to safely dispose of storm-damaged trees and shrubs is available at http://king.wsu.edu/forestry/windstorm.html on the Internet.