Working waste into worth

An estimated 75 tons of yard waste was burned last week by Pine Haven’s Public Works Director Sunny Schell with the assistance of volunteer fire crew Chief Don Lancaster, TJ Gideon, Bruce Lang and Ed Scott. This pile is usually burned once a year, as winter approaches and the danger of open flames lessens.

The ash from the burn will not be wasted as the council recently approved Schell’s plan to incorporate this waste material with other components to make compost.

“I’m going to separate the ash so that people can start putting their lawn clippings and leaves in one area and then I’ll mix dirt and ash into it and once in a while I’ll add a bucket full of pine needles for nutrients and try to make a really good compost top soil pile,” she says. This compost, when ready, will be available to town residents free of charge.

The group started the burn at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning and continued to monitor the flames and coals overnight, periodically pushing the outer debris toward the center with a bobcat, according to Schell, who says, “We’re really proud of the town helping with fire mitigation and cleaning up their property.”

The abuse of the slash pile by a certain few cost the town $100 in cash this week as well as three hours of the director’s time, for which the town’s residents pay, with the necessary removal and disposal of building materials including old siding, 2x4s and so on.

“The few people who are disrespecting the slash pile being open for them can mean it being shut down if it doesn’t stop, which will be real bad because the majority of the people in Pine Haven are doing really well taking care of their properties and getting them cleaned up and getting rid of the ladder fuels,” Schell says. “Ninety nine percent is really good, there are just a few who abuse it.”