# What is wrong with using wood to heat your home?



## Lakeland living (Sep 14, 2019)

We can have some very long winters in Canada, in winter I use propane and wood to heat my home and cook.  I have been told by some people that
it is wrong to cut down trees, even those dying or dead and yes I can tell the difference. I see it as me cleaning up the forest, like people they grow old and then fall and rot.   Right or wrong?


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## Keesha (Sep 14, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> We can have some very long winters in Canada, in winter I use propane and wood to heat my home and cook.  I have been told by some people that
> it is wrong to cut down trees, even those dying or dead and yes I can tell the difference. I see it as me cleaning up the forest, like people they grow old and then fall and rot.   Right or wrong?


There’s nothing wrong with burning wood for heat. 
We have a wood stove and it’s a true pleasure in the winter. We live in the forest and cut down dead trees to use often. Yes it’s better than having them fall and rot. There’s always going to be nay sayers about everything. Don’t worry about them. Enjoy your fire.


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## Judycat (Sep 14, 2019)

Why in the world would it be wrong to burn up dead wood? This is what I mean by people not minding their own business. Stuff like that drives me nuts.


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## Lakeland living (Sep 14, 2019)

My life is great, they were renting a cottage down the road and going back to Toronto tomorrow...


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## Judycat (Sep 14, 2019)

Good riddance to them.


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)

Dead trees no problem. It;s the air pollution. Now, in a vast area, it dosn't matter so much, but in congested areas, we have to be careful. We cannot burn trash nor leaves, but no one is denied heating with wood. Yet, anyway.


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## Lakeland living (Sep 14, 2019)

RR I will simply say that common sense in this instance was completely lacking on their part.


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## Don M. (Sep 14, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> We can have some very long winters in Canada, in winter I use propane and wood to heat my home and cook.  I have been told by some people that it is wrong to cut down trees, even those dying or dead and yes I can tell the difference. I see it as me cleaning up the forest, like people they grow old and then fall and rot.   Right or wrong?



We moved to 40 acres of dense forest when I retired.  Our house is total electric, and the first Winter, our heating bills were quite high.  It didn't take me long to figure out that I could put the dead trees to use, and I had a big outdoor wood furnace installed.  In the years since, I go through the forest and harvest the dead or damaged trees, and cycle that wood through the furnace.  Doing so has cut our Winter electric bills down to less than half that first years amount.  Sure, it creates a little smoke, but most of that "carbon" finds its way back to the ground within a short distance, and probably creates less overall pollution than our usage share from coal fired utility power plants.  Plus, all the physical activity required in harvesting, splitting, carrying all that wood is proving to be some Great exercise.  With all the trees we have, I figure I'll have this forest cleared in about 130 years.


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## Lakeland living (Sep 14, 2019)

My gym these days....lol


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## RadishRose (Sep 14, 2019)

My ex and I had a huge fireplace in the kitchen/dining area, and a lovely one in the living room as well. I loved them.


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## Gary O' (Sep 14, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> Right or wrong?


Never so right.
No better gym

...and the plus is;


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## Camper6 (Sep 14, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> We can have some very long winters in Canada, in winter I use propane and wood to heat my home and cook.  I have been told by some people that
> it is wrong to cut down trees, even those dying or dead and yes I can tell the difference. I see it as me cleaning up the forest, like people they grow old and then fall and rot.   Right or wrong?


Cut the dead wood out and dont feel guilty.  Wood is one of the few renewable resources left.  The trees that are still alive and need the sunshine will thank you for it and the ashes are one of the best fertilizers going.
Wildlife like moose need the open areas to browse.


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## Marie5656 (Sep 14, 2019)

*If I had a proper stove, access to the dead wood, I would do it.  Love the smell. And it does heat well.
I think clearing out the dead wood is good for the environment, in that it makes room for new growth.  Some folks do not get it.  I had a couple friends come over to cut down some overgrown shrubbery and weeds in the back of the house earlier this summer.  They were going to put the cut branches in the trash bin.  I stopped them.  We have a large wooded area across the street, dips down into a valley of sorts.  I said, bring it all over there and throw it there.  Give it back to nature.  They kind of groused at the extra work, but they did it.*


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## Old Dummy (Sep 14, 2019)

I heated with wood from 1975 til 1990; since then I burn wood and then coal for the worst months of winter. I have my own woods and cut from it for years. I looked forward to being in the woods in September/October, taking in the fall scents, cutting wood, and getting good exercise to boot.

But in the past 6-8 years I just don't feel like doing it anymore. It's mental laziness, not a physical problem. So I buy a few face cords from my buddy.

Something some people don't realize: Trees are a crop; they grow back all by themselves. If you cut down a big tree in the middle of the woods, there will be sunlight on the floor for the first time in decades, and you wouldn't believe how quickly the brush and saplings will take over.

Although I do have a yard, the woods and brush comes right up to the edge of it. Every few years I have to cut things back because they grow up, then start hanging over the lawn. Mother Nature would completely take over my lawn if I didn't beat her back on occasion. And this year things were getting overgrown and I said I have to do it. But I didn't yet and probably won't til next year. 

It's the mental laziness thing again.


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## Gary O' (Sep 14, 2019)

Old Dummy said:


> Something some people don't realize: Trees are a crop; they grow back all by themselves. If you cut down a big tree in the middle of the woods, there will be sunlight on the floor for the first time in decades, and you wouldn't believe how quickly the brush and saplings will take over.


Say it, brother


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## Sunday.abovethe.grass.meh (Sep 14, 2019)

Nothing if you're not too stubborn to look into efficient burning rocket stoves, well ALL of them are horrid but there's a couple that have been updated with a HUGE THICK CATCH PLATE Or super thick heat plate ... oh and
a nice seal-able stick bin ... this is remotely close but not really what it would look like, NO HEAT out pipe or very little, 2 weeks burn a little in a campbells soup can HALF FULL of light dust ash > I FYOU BUILD IT RIGHT,
this is not it, but gives slightly the idea.


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## Sunday.abovethe.grass.meh (Sep 14, 2019)

NET LAG, bad connection... meant FEED BIN, one pictured hardly exists too tiny(45 degree thing there at the front) thing HA ! yeah that be the techie name.

Done typing NET LAG BAD CONNECTION, lucky to post at all in the great white north LATERZZZZZZZZZ.


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## toffee (Sep 15, 2019)

We have a vast amount of wood burners in the uk. now ' nothing wrong cleaning up the forests '
the wrong thing is industries like news papers - rubbish advert mail ' being used for meaningless 
 crap that comes through the letter boxes ..trees being cut down for that-now that is a crime in my eyes ………………….


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## Kaila (Oct 2, 2019)

Some of us have trouble breathing the smoke bits in the air.  Other than that, it's a good way to help the forest grow new growth, and that type of heat feels good and cozy!


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## Lakeland living (Oct 2, 2019)

Very few particles come out of the newer air tight stoves, the last thing I want to see on the snow is a layer of black soot.
Plus for me it is great exercise, I don't have a gym to go to


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## Pappy (Oct 3, 2019)

I heated my house with wood for 8 years. A little hard to regulate and ashes are messy, but we were warm. Replaced later with a pellet stove. Much easier to maintain, but still have the messy ashes.


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## Old Dummy (Oct 3, 2019)

Kaila said:


> Some of us have trouble breathing the smoke bits in the air.  Other than that, it's a good way to help the forest grow new growth, and that type of heat feels good and cozy!



If you're talking about particles in the house, as the poster below you mentioned, you shouldn't see much if at all. How do you even know?


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## retiredtraveler (Oct 3, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> Very few particles come out of the newer air tight stoves, the last thing I want to see on the snow is a layer of black soot.
> Plus for me it is great exercise, I don't have a gym to go to


Agree. My house came with a fireplace that rotted out (it's from the 1950's). I had a high-efficiency insert, with a fan,  put into the opening so I can mostly heat my small home with just a few pieces of wood at a time with very little coming out the chimney. As long as I properly dry the wood, there is next-to-nothing smoke or particulates. I have a mesh screen on the roof which catches the small amount of particulate that goes up the chimney.  "Old fashioned" fireplaces are romantic, but pollute and provide little to no heat because they suck in air from the house.


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## Kaila (Oct 3, 2019)

I am glad to learn that the newer ones are made more airtight and better, because I did love to heat with it, many years ago, but there was smoke in the house, and I found it difficult to lower it, with the stoves I had back then.


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## Capt Lightning (Oct 3, 2019)

We partly heat our house with wood.  The house is almost 200 years old and had a fireplace in every room (except bathroom!).  Now we only have one usable fireplace, but when the had the chimney swept after 6 years of use, the flue was almost clean. The stove also produces very little ash.

Wood is in many ways just like any other crop.  When it is ripe, you harvest it and replant.


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## tinytn (Oct 3, 2019)

My hubby is from Maine and we lived in Maine for 25 yrs.. we had an excellent wood stove (the name escapes me now) and we also had a poured Chimney Liner called  the  Golden Flue.  keeps the  flue clean of soot ... we  lived up a hill and off the highway but in a forested area. We also helped clean of most of the old fallen oak trees to use for our firewood too, hubs also had a wood splitter.. we enjoyed stacking the wood , was all good exercise for us too..
Then when we retired we moved south near the western end of Tenn,,We  do not need to worry about freezing temps, snow  or ice storms anymore.. !!! But I do miss all that good seafood the most..


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

Old Dummy said:


> If you're talking about particles in the house, as the poster below you mentioned, you shouldn't see much if at all. How do you even know?


Particles will coat flat surfaces eventually you will see that. Like dust in the air that rests on the flat surface. Keep in mind that open the stove door or an open fireplace that more will escape the unit.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

You can avoid the ashes etc by getting an outdoor unit. Then the ashes are outside not inside.


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## IrisSenior (Oct 4, 2019)

I do love the smell of wood smoke but after reading that there are toxins released from burning wood I tend to stay away from the wood smoke now. I am sure if you know what you are doing then it is ok.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

I don't burn anything that has been treated by man. Stain, paint weather proofing. Oils to make it last longer etc. Of course breathing in smoke is not healthy either. Fire scares me and makes me very very cautious too.


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## AnnieA (Oct 4, 2019)

Kaila said:


> I am glad to learn that the newer ones are made more airtight and better, because I did love to heat with it, many years ago, but there was smoke in the house, and I found it difficult to lower it, with the stoves I had back then.



Smoke itself is a combustible fuel source.  The higher efficiency stoves utilize both wood and smoke for combustion which reduces the amount of wood needed as well as reducing pollutants.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

You are correct AnnieA, my stove has a system that circulates fresh air in through a baffle, through the fire box. Then that mixture is fed through a steel plate on top feeding it through the fire again. Tricky to light in warmer weather, You see the fire burning the wood then other flames coming from the top of the wood box.


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## ronaldj (Oct 4, 2019)

we have and still heat with wood for over 40 years...you can cut and burn dead wood or burn and buy fossil fuel.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

-4 c called for here tonight. Crystal clear night. Brought in some wood , I would bet sitting watching that will put me right to sleep..


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## Keesha (Oct 4, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> -4 c called for here tonight. Crystal clear night. Brought in some wood , I would bet sitting watching that will put me right to sleep..


We did too. It’s our first fire this season. I love the smell of the wood burning. My plants were put into the greenhouse for warm and protection too. 

We got 7 bush chords of ash. It’s got such a straight grain that makes it easy to cut.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 4, 2019)

Covered my plants over with some light plastic, I intend to get to them in the next couple of days. 
Most of my wood is Beech, like that Ash nice straight grain and burns for hours. The rest is some maple the wind knocked down.


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## Old Dummy (Oct 4, 2019)

Supposed to get a light frost here in the Finger Lakes tonight, a hard freeze (23°) in Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks.

I've had a wood fire going for a couple of days now. My house is warm again!


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## Keesha (Oct 4, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> Covered my plants over with some light plastic, I intend to get to them in the next couple of days.
> Most of my wood is Beech, like that Ash nice straight grain and burns for hours. The rest is some maple the wind knocked down.


Good plan LL. 
Yes beech is lovely wood also and burns clean for hours. I love the golden colour it’s leaves turn which stay on the tree long into the season. It’s often used for ax handles and such.


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## Morgan62 (Oct 4, 2019)

Absolutely nothing wrong with that
until 1999 when I lived in England I had an AGA with a back boiler which was fueled by chopped wood. What wouldn't I give to go back to that ?


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## Linda (Oct 4, 2019)

We've had wood heat here for 26 years.  We burn our own Oak that has died.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 6, 2019)

Have found a lot of people regret not heating with wood. Unlike oil it regenerates at a decent rate. To me, I live in the bush, not a log cabin but I can never really run out of fuel. On my walk this morning I found two huge beeches down on the ground, I own part of the property and help myself to all the dead or dying. Just those two trees will give me at least half of my fire wood next year. 
Fitness, health being very careful and winter heat. I count myself extremely lucky to be able to do this....


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## Old Dummy (Oct 6, 2019)

I have to question the premise of this thread title.

Who said it was "wrong" to heat with wood in the OP, and what was their point?


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## Lakeland living (Oct 6, 2019)

Air polution, killing trees destroying nature.Putting dust particles in the air...Not my words, theirs.


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## Keesha (Oct 6, 2019)

Lakeland living said:


> Have found a lot of people regret not heating with wood. Unlike oil it regenerates at a decent rate. To me, I live in the bush, not a log cabin but I can never really run out of fuel. On my walk this morning I found two huge beeches down on the ground, I own part of the property and help myself to all the dead or dying. Just those two trees will give me at least half of my fire wood next year.
> Fitness, health being very careful and winter heat. I count myself extremely lucky to be able to do this....


We live in the bush as well where wood is plentiful so we are never out of wood and doing all this work is not only enjoyable but contributes to a healthy lifestyle for sure. Beech wood is great.

Most of our hardwood is ash.


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## Pecos (Oct 7, 2019)

A few years ago we had a serious ice storm that knocked out power for five days. Downed trees and limbs had us trapped the whole time. I had built up a good sized stack of firewood in the back part of our lot and used it to heat the house. I sure did get tired of dragging all that wood into the house and dodging falling limbs as the ice storm worsened. We lost a lot of trees and it looked like a giant had stomped around with the intend of doing as much damage are he could. At the rate limbs came down, it sounded like a war zone. My insurance company USAA did their job and I was happy with their performance in helping us recover from the damage.
A couple of years earlier I had hung a chain with hooks inside the fireplace. I felt like a real pioneer making coffee and cooking in pots hanging off that chain. My wife was fairly impressed, but not too happy about the effort to get the smoke off of her pots after it was over.
Nonetheless we stayed warm and well fed until the roads were cleared and power was restored. Wood in a regular fireplace makes a good backup plan, but I was sure happy to get our regular heating system back on line. Living by candlelight isn't much fun either.
But I did not miss the TV.


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## squatting dog (Oct 8, 2019)

Ahhh yes... ice storms.  Went without power for 13 days.  Sure was glad to have the wood stove to heat and cook on. \


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## Lethe200 (Oct 12, 2019)

Just FYI, from Wood Smoke Myths and Facts:
....
The basic rule of thumb is this: if you can smell wood smoke, you’re breathing pollution that is hazardous to your health.

*EPA certified woodstoves are the solution.*
While it is true that EPA certified wood stoves may produce less particulate air pollution than uncertified ones when new and operated according to manufacturer specifications, they produce orders of magnitude more particulate pollution than appliances that burn natural gas.

In addition, the stated performance of EPA certified wood stoves degrades with use to the point where the particulate emissions are comparable to non-certified wood stoves.

Another key issue: EPA certified wood stoves emit highly toxic dioxins at levels equal to, or even greater, than levels emitted by conventional wood burning devices.

*Wood smoke rises, so what’s the problem?*

Most of the harmful pollutants from wood burning don’t rise. They hang around at ground level for up to ten days.

On cold winter days (when people tend to burn wood) the problem is even worse, because the weather conditions create temperature inversions that put a lid over the lower atmosphere, trapping hazardous pollutants close to ground level.

*I can just shut my windows and I’ll be fine.*

The fine particle pollutants from wood burning are so small that they infiltrate even the most well-insulated and weather-stripped homes. Scientific studies have shown that particle pollution levels inside homes reach up to 70% of the pollution levels outdoors.


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## squatting dog (Oct 12, 2019)

"The basic rule of thumb is this: if you can smell wood smoke, you’re breathing pollution that is hazardous to your health. "

Using that logic, isn't breathing any kind of pollutant hazardous to your health? So, should we just stop breathing when near an automobile, bus, factory, cigarette smoker, etc. Where does one draw the line?


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## Keesha (Oct 20, 2019)

Our wood for this winter.


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## Kaila (Oct 20, 2019)

Beautiful sight, Keesha!
And so reassuring, when you see it all ready. 

I can picture it later on, with a few feet of snow and ice on top!  

When it is cold , and they freeze together somewhat, do you pull pieces out from wherever you can loosen them up?
OR, do you try to take from the top?


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## Keesha (Oct 20, 2019)

Kaila said:


> Beautiful sight, Keesha!
> And so reassuring, when you see it all ready.
> 
> I can picture it later on, with a few feet of snow and ice on top!
> ...


Thanks Kaila. It IS reassuring that our house will have enough natural fuel for the winter. We have a tank of fuel for emergencies.

The wood isn’t left out here under the tarp for the entire season. It’s left there for about 6 weeks and moved to a shed where it’s stored for the season. 

This way whatever is left over has enough tarp left to cover it completely and not as stuck together. 

It’s a messy job but I do enjoy a nice wood fire. 
It’s very peaceful and mesmerizing. The ambiance it adds is amazing. 

We will use this ash and mix it with some aged poplar so it burns nice and hot.


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## Kaila (Oct 20, 2019)

That's interesting, Keesha!
Thanks for the reply!

It's the sort of job that feels rewarding.  
The shed will make it a lot easier to get the pieces , later on!


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## Silverfox (Oct 20, 2019)

Many people make statements just to stir things up. It certainly sounds like you are being extremely logical when burning the wood to heat your home. There is no need to listen to these people who just want to cause trouble. Go about your own business and enjoy your Winters in the comfort of your warm cozy home.


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## Don M. (Oct 20, 2019)

I'm pretty much set with wood for the Winter.  Our Son-in-Law and Grandson brought over another huge pile from the grandkids house a couple of days ago, and it looks like there is probably between 8 to 10 cords in the stack.  Now, I just have to get the log splitter out every couple of weeks and bring some split wood up behind the house.  It's all green wood, but I have a half cord of good seasoned wood and kindling ready to act as "starter" wood.  Once I get a bed of good coals started, I can throw the green stuff in, and it will burn twice as long.  I made a test run during a cold snap last week, and the green wood burned for over 24 hours.  The way the forecast looks, I will probably start the Bryan furnace up seriously Friday or Saturday, and keep it going pretty much for the next 5+ months....which is just about normal here.


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## Lakeland living (Oct 21, 2019)

Got my wood in the shed,  10 face cords,  4 more stacked outside.  Now splitting by hand about 30 stumps, rock maple and another downed beech that the winds took down. Like to be ahead a bit...never know.


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## bingo (Oct 21, 2019)

we moved from NC about 4 years ago to be near our daughter here in corn country southern Illinois. ...we found a property with lots of trees and we're surprised how much tree work is going on around here....we make good use of it


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