Use of the steam engine raises the questions of a) what are they using for fuel and b) does the benefit provided by wood chips justify the fuel, labor, and maintenance that are inputted. I use lots of wood chips but only because I have them delivered for free as a waste product. If I had to make them myself I wouldn't use them. In New England they used to build "corduroy roads" by simply laying trunks cross ways across the road. No extra labor involved and they lasted a while. I know from experience that once you've got the fungi present, chips break down incredibly fast. Great story, I'm really enjoying it and I love how you're working in the ecological restoration parts.
Hi Lynn Cady- thanks for the really good feedback. I guess in the story the flash flooding has brought down a load of trees and branches, most of which would be salvaged as useful timber but some brash would be of little use structurally. Its whether we would just bind up all the remaining brash to make fascines for erosion control and similar uses or go to the effort of chipping it- the steam engine could run on some of the woodchip. Reducing the fuel burden is one need of the forest (reducing the fire risk) but there could well be easier, less energy intensive ways of using it. The corduroy roads sounds great- I have imagined these here in Coed Y Brenin, as paths rather than roads, using some of the large quantities of fallen timber.
Thanks for the kind words about the story- I'm really glad you are enjoying it. Take care. Hwyl! Chris.
Use of the steam engine raises the questions of a) what are they using for fuel and b) does the benefit provided by wood chips justify the fuel, labor, and maintenance that are inputted. I use lots of wood chips but only because I have them delivered for free as a waste product. If I had to make them myself I wouldn't use them. In New England they used to build "corduroy roads" by simply laying trunks cross ways across the road. No extra labor involved and they lasted a while. I know from experience that once you've got the fungi present, chips break down incredibly fast. Great story, I'm really enjoying it and I love how you're working in the ecological restoration parts.
Hi Lynn Cady- thanks for the really good feedback. I guess in the story the flash flooding has brought down a load of trees and branches, most of which would be salvaged as useful timber but some brash would be of little use structurally. Its whether we would just bind up all the remaining brash to make fascines for erosion control and similar uses or go to the effort of chipping it- the steam engine could run on some of the woodchip. Reducing the fuel burden is one need of the forest (reducing the fire risk) but there could well be easier, less energy intensive ways of using it. The corduroy roads sounds great- I have imagined these here in Coed Y Brenin, as paths rather than roads, using some of the large quantities of fallen timber.
Thanks for the kind words about the story- I'm really glad you are enjoying it. Take care. Hwyl! Chris.