Tree Crew Perspectives on Wood Product Recovery from Utility Vegetation Management

Abstract

Utility vegetation management generates large quantities of wood that require disposal. To explore opportunities for reducing wood waste and promoting wood recovery, we evaluated the perceptions and experiences of utility-contracted tree crews regarding a wood recovery program. We conducted interviews with tree crew members both involved (n = 24) and not involved (n = 58) with the pilot program. Interview questions focused on workflow, interactions with homeowners and the public, and opportunities for implementation of a wood recovery program from the crew member perspective. Participants generally had positive attitudes toward a wood recovery program, wanting to provide benefits for communities through revenue from log sales and to reduce wood waste. Potential challenges associated with such a program included: (1) increased time required for tree removal; (2) safety concerns for removing larger logs; (3) physical obstacles such as mailboxes and stone walls; (4) homeowners wanting to keep the wood; and (5) low-quality wood (i.e., containing rot or metal). The protocol was modified to address such concerns. With the input of tree crew members, our findings suggest that a wood recovery program has the potential to be successful in reducing wood waste from utility vegetation management and generating benefits for communities, particularly in urban environments.