Scouts can help dispose of trees

It’s been a week since Christmas Day and as those once-festive trees become increasingly more flammable, a handful of local Boy Scout troops are helping to dispose of them sooner rather than later.

Curb-side pick-up, courtesy of the Scouts, will be available to residences in both Moscow and Pullman on Saturday. Both groups ask that trees be completely free of decoration and other debris, including nails, so that the tree can be reused as mulch or biomass.

Troops 345 and 326 will be handling the pick-up in Moscow this year, and ask that those requesting a pick-up place their trees on their curb or porch no later than 9 a.m.

“On an average year, I would estimate that the two troops collectively gather and dispose of 100 to 200 Christmas trees,” Tadd Wheeler, scoutmaster for Troop 345 wrote in an email. “The troops receive email requests for pickup on one of several Saturdays advertised around the first of the year and we drive around town and gather them up.”

To schedule a pickup, Moscow residents can email their address to troop326treepu@gmail.com or scribe.troop345@gmail.com. Troop 345, which will do an additional day of tree pickups Jan. 11, asks that requests for removal include a preferred day, as well. Donations of $15 or more are suggested but not required.

Wheeler said trees picked up in Moscow will be cut up and brought to Latah County Sanitation on State Highway 8 where they will be turned into mulch. Sanitation officials say mulch is free and available to all Latah County residents on a first-come, first-served basis.

Richard Jackson, assistant scoutmaster for Troop 444 in Pullman, said there is no need to schedule a pickup on the Washington side of the border. He said scouts will drive through residential neighborhoods looking for trees to pick up, and either knock on doors or leave an envelope for donations.

Jackson said the yearly tree pickup program serves double-duty as both a fundraising opportunity and a service project. He pointed out that the curbside collection program keeps trees out of the landfill and is a boon for residents who lack either the time or physical means discard them alone.

“One of the goals of the boy scouts is to teach leadership and to help them to become better citizens and to give back to the communities they live in,” Jackson said. “This gives them a chance to provide service to other people.”

Jackson said Pullman troops will not be visiting apartment complexes. Trees picked up in Pullman will be sent to the Whitman County Landfill where a third party will grind them into biomass fuel. Those who wish to know more about Pullmans curbside program can email jcksn6b@gmail.com.

Pullman Fire Chief Mike Heston said getting rid of Christmas trees without delay is also a safety issue. He said once the trees have served their purpose, it’s best to get rid of them quickly before they become a fire hazard.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1 in 4 winter fires are caused by Christmas trees placed too close to a heat source.

“Once they’re cut they can only live so long inside your house because they’re used to being in an outside environment,” Heston said. “Being inside your heated house dries them out, even if you’re watering them — so once the needles start to dry out, it’s got to go.”

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.