The Sacramento Tree Foundation is preparing to rescue and reuse urban trees that need to be removed due to disease, pests, or safety issues. The Urban Wood Rescue program, funded through CAL FIRE’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Fund will recycle trees destined for the landfill. By reusing these trees, this program will divert logs from the urban waste stream, reduce GHG emissions, and sequester carbon for longer periods of time.

This pilot program, in collaboration with the City of Sacramento, private tree companies, community leaders, woodworkers, and the public, will explore creative new ways to repurpose these urban trees and provide wood products with a zip code.

Recovered logs will be converted to valuable lumber by the Urban Wood Rescue sawmill and made available for sale to individuals. Some wood will be provided for community projects to be used for improvements such as benches, playground equipment, decks, and fences as well as artistic products, furniture, and other crafts. Millers, artists, craftsmen, and wood turners involved in the Urban Wood Rescue cooperative network will gain access to a wide range of urban wood species and materials for both personal and public projects.

By creating usable products, unique works of art and basic lumber from urban logs that would otherwise be viewed as waste and sent to the landfill, the Urban Wood Rescue program will add to Sacramento’s recognition not only as the City of Trees and the Farm to Fork Capital, but also as the Tree to Table pioneer!