Study: Woodchips tilled into soil best for erosion, fire concerns
A three-year study in the Lake Tahoe Basin has determined that tilling aged woodchips into the soil is the most effective way to minimize fire risk and preventing erosion.
Integrated Environmental Restoration Services Inc. in collaboration with Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Meeks Bay Fire Protection District, North Tahoe Fire District, and Homewood Mountain Resort, recently completed study. The goal was to find common ground between landscape treatments that are effective at preventing soil erosion and minimizing the risk of fire.
Different materials and practices were used, like pine needles, aged duff, woodchips, composted woodchips, landscape bark purchased in stores, and duff and wood chips tilled into the soil, for erosion and fire risk.
The materials were exposed to a simulated rainstorm. To test for fire risk, materials were set on fire using a drip torch by firefighters and measured for flame height, rate of flame spread and burn temperature of the different materials.
Of all the treatments tested, the study found that mixing 1 to 3 inches of wood chips into soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches promotes water infiltration.
Wonderful article! thank-you.
Adding in a small amount of Compost from Tahoe Sand & Gravel would really give your plants a big boast before the winter sets in.
As Tahoe’s forests are in the same risk range as are all forests in 10 western states (high catastrophic danger), not only the safety of your house and neighborhood, but the improving the health of our forests is key.
Not only are forests “fresh water factories”, but a healthy condition for them assures better absorption of CO2 (climate change) as carbon is a tree’s building material, while they emit fresh oxygen – why we all like a ‘walk in the woods’. . .
Any work like that described helps all parts of the system of life. . .good stuff.
It’s awesome that IERS is taking credit for a process that has been used for years in other parts of the country. Kudo’s to you IERS…..!!!