Wildlife Partners, a Boulder County initiative that helps residents prepare for wildfires, has announced that its newly-launched Community Chipping Program has been running successfully thus far into its infancy.
Established earlier this month, the new county chipping program was created in an effort to adequately dispose of slash (green branches and brush) in a safe and sustainable manner.
The aim of the free program is to support Boulder County residents with managing high-risk vegetation on their respective properties, thus helping to mitigate wildfire risks, as a result.
According to a release, the program also places emphasis on collaboration between local neighbors through neighborhood chipping events.
Neighborhood chipping events are when groups of five or more homeowners join forces to get chipping work completed in their community.
Since the new program launched, Wildlife Partners says that 40 applications have been already approved, representing chipping events that cover approximately 350 homes throughout Boulder County.
“Wildfire Partners couldn’t be more thrilled at the initial launch of this program. Residents have been waiting for a new chipping program, and our immediate response demonstrates just how fire-wise our county and communities are becoming,” said Boulder County Chipping Coordinator Zack Bertges.
“In 2021, we had 378 homeowners sign up for chipping services, so to nearly surpass this number in these first few weeks of the new program has been very exciting.”
Funding for the chipping program was provided by the Wildfire Mitigation Sales Tax, which was approved by Boulder County voters back in 2022.
The Wildfire Mitigation Sales Tax was established to fund work in two specific areas: strategic forest and grassland management, as well as community resiliency development.
The Community Chipping Program serves as one of the first community programs to be funded by the sales tax.
To learn more about the chipping program, eligibility criteria and more, visit the Wildfire Partners website.
