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Have a tree on your property that needs to be removed? Want to turn that tree into a beautiful table, door or even a bicycle instead of sending it to a landfill? You’ve come to the right place!

Denver has a dire need for urban wood utilization, which is a fancy way to say we’re looking to turn more of our trees into functional products if/when they’re removed. That need has been magnified since the 2013 discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Boulder, which poses a direct threat to Denver’s ash trees. Protecting our urban canopy from EAB unfortunately means removing some of our ash trees. And since 1 in 6 trees in Denver is an ash, that means a large amount of trees will end up in landfills if we don’t find a higher purpose for this wood. Here’s the good news: Working with a local arborist or woodworker to reuse your urban tree not only benefits our local environment and economy, it can benefit your home and business, as well!

Raring to reuse your tree? Watch the video above and check out the information below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of trees can be turned into valuable wood products?

Typically, you’re looking for sound wood from trees that are 1 to 3 feet in diameter and 6 to 16 feet long. But many woodworking operations, such as Wood in 2 Wood featured in the video above, can work with even smaller trees – turning them into unique bowls, cutting boards and other products.

Is reusing my tree worth the effort?

It’s important to note that urban wood is worth more than lumber from non-local or mass-harvested sources due to its unique features and character. For instance, the wood from Russian Olive trees, which are so common in parts of the Metro Denver area that they’re considered weeds, display very appealing colors and patterns after being milled. Some might consider these trees trash. Woodworkers consider them treasure.

Which tree companies can I hire to utilize my urban wood?

There are many, but a few include 303 TreeA Cut AboveHelping HandLovett Tree Company and Taddiken, as well as many of the companies listed below.

Getting Started

Have other questions like who can safely remove your tree, where you can take your wood for milling near Denver or how much you can save by hauling logs to a mill instead of a landfill? Feel free to get in touch with any of the helpful folks below who helped us launch this project:

Are you an arborist or a woodworker? Want to be included on this list? Click here to email us!