The City of Oakley and Diablo Water District teamed with West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA) will once again offer free wood chips!
Wood chips will be available for pick-up on Saturday, February 24th and Saturday, March 17th from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the City Yard at the corner of Neroly Road and Main Street (entrance on Neroly Rd). Oakley residents need to bring their own tools/shovels and bags/containers to load and carry the mulch, and a tarp to cover if necessary. Residents are asked to not take more than 5 yards at a time.
The wood chips are from trees pruned and/or removed from the Oakley/Brentwood area. The chips are organic, coarse, mixed with leaves and twigs, and the quality varies. It is not like the commercial bark products one might purchase from a landscape store, but provides the same benefits – retains moisture in the soil (minimizes evaporation), discourages weeds from growing, helps protect roots from extreme temperatures, reduces soil compaction, and slowly decomposes while releasing nutrients into the soil. Kelley Gilleran, Certified Arborist with WCA, said, “It’s best to apply a 4’ foot circle of chips around your tree and/or shrubs, at least 3” inches deep, and keeping it a few inches away from the trunk.”