Smoke from burning Christmas trees clouds Silverton
SILVERTON, Ore. (AP) — Christmas tree growers around Silverton have been burning excess trees this week, generating clouds of smoke and drawing complaints from some residents.
The fire district is telling residents that the burning is permitted by state law because the growers are considered agricultural producers.
One tree farm manager, Bob Schafer of Noble mountain Tree Farm in Salem, told the Statesman Journal the trees are burned to prevent diseases and insect infestations from spreading.
Oregon is the nation's biggest grower of Christmas trees with 65,000 acres of land in production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Oregon growers cut and sold 6.4 million Christmas trees in 2010.
Information from: Statesman Journal
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
Oh no, not smoke from burning christmas trees? Perhaps a ban on christmas trees can be in the next legislative session?
Poor poor people, this earth is not designed to make everyone comfortable all the time. A day or so of burning and the air clears.
And the idea of "insect and disease control" is suspect and ambiguously described at best.
Burning is not a great option, period. It is a waste plain and simple. Look up the difference between terra preta and slash and burn agriculture. This is essentially slash and burn.
At least they could compost, I would put it in the chipper over and over again. Fools.
@Bio Sphere
Perhaps like most environhacks, you can also show them how to run their business better.Â
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If you believe so strongly about your ideology you can also pay for it. Oh wait, your kind doesn't do that.
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Go back to your counter compost bin, your both beginning to smell bad.
 @Quaoptician  @Bio Sphere I think you're on to something.  Perhaps it is time the government step in and tell these people how to run their business.  Thanks for the idea!
Considering how many Christmas trees get wasted every year, wouldn't you say that consumers are already paying for this through higher prices? Â If they can't sell them all, then they should lower the price. Â But with something like a Christmas tree, people will only buy them if they need them. Â It doesn't matter how low the price is. Â This is an example of why the free market sucks.
Kind of depressing driving along 213 the week after Christmas to see mountains of unsold Christmas trees waiting to be burned. Â Failure of the free market is what this is. Â These guys have produced and wasted an enormous quantity in search of what must have been a tiny profit. Â The consumer aspects of Christmas are a joke. Â
Exactly the same rational that grass seed growers have for field burning only there's less smoke with filed burning and as an aside; God this posting system suxs
Guessing these are the same people complaining that also move next to an airport and complain about the noise or next to a railroad crossing and complain about the horns.
In a state that prides itself on recycling, this sure is hypocritical. Why can't these trees be gathered and used for lumber byproducts? What a true and stupid waste.
 @None These are not trees raised for lumber, there's not much usable wood there.  It's best to burn them and then work the ash back in to help the soil.  It's not stupid, it's good land management.
 @JustMyOpinion Based on what?, it is proven to be a terrible strategy. Returning the organic matter as chips would be more of a benefit, than burning to ash, charcoal, ala terra preta, but not ash.Â
@Bio Sphere@JustMyOpinion
Perhaps like most environhacks, you can also show them how to run their business better.Â
Â
If you believe so strongly about your ideology you can also pay for it. Oh wait, your kind doesn't do that.
Â
Go back to your counter compost bin, your both beginning to smell bad.
@JustMyOpinion @None Yup. And,contrary to the few complainers in Silverton,(I live here, too) it does not smell that bad, and generaly it only takes a couple hours to burn.
wink wink, Christmas trees, I get it.
boo hoo
Mulching them would cost too much I guess?
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 @negativerep Actually. Yes. That is the big reason growers prefer to burn.
The ash is also used to renitrate the ground. Â
 @Andrew Banks No it is not. Ash is not super great for the ground especially when burned in place. If they were burned into charcoal and then worked into the soil or chips for organic matter are the better options. Burning is disinfo, they do it out of laziness, being in the country and the state letting them, simple as that. The soil ecology doesn't do really well after being burned.
 @Andrew Banks Thanks!
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Don't forget it also "prevent(s) diseases and insect infestations from spreading".
@negativerep .......my question too. Is mulching not an option?