The TCRCD hopes to provide free chipping for homeowners and landowners this spring similar to a program it offered in 2006. As before, the program will be contingent upon approval of grants the District has applied for. The free chipping service will be for material removed during tree pruning and fuels reduction clearing around homes and along road frontage. This program offers an alternative to burning or hauling these trimmings. Remaining chips, which are not hauled away, make great mulch and ground cover to prevent erosion.

To assist us in providing this service, the following conditions must be met.

• Please have at least 3 hours worth of chipping before requesting this service. Neighborhoods can qualify for the three-hour minimum if enough material is stacked at each home. Neighbors may want to work together to achieve this minimum.
   
• Branches must be stacked with all cut ends facing in the same direction. Piles not stacked in this manner cannot be chipped.
   
• Stacks may be no more than 4 feet high. Try to make them 4 feet wide and about 8 feet long. Ideally, stacks should be approximately 4x4x8.
   
• Stacks must be free of nails, wire, rocks, mud, poison oak, scotch broom, and berry vines.
   
• Stacks must be placed in an accessible area and situated so chipping equipment can be placed next to the cut ends of the branches. This facilitates easy work for our crews and means more people can be served by the program.
   
• Unpaved driveways over 16% grade are inaccessible to the truck and chipper.

It’s easy to determine when there is enough to schedule a chipping session. Use the following to estimate the amount of time needed to chip each properly stacked pile. For stacks of cedar, pine and fir, calculate 20 minutes per 4x4x8 pile. If a stack is primarily hardwoods like oak, manzanita or other shrubs, it will likely require 30 minutes per 4x4x8 pile.

If you are unable to accomplish the work necessary to prepare for chipping, the TCRCD may be able to provide a crew of two to perform thinning, limbing, moving and stacking of materials for a fee-for-service.

Please contact the TCRCD at (530) 623-6004 for a chipping request form if you are interested in this program or download the form from our website.

Good Stacking

Unacceptable Stacking