AntFarm Youth Services

What happens when a storm-damaged tree becomes a threat to a home? Most people would call for removal and move on. AntFarm had a different idea.

In 2020, severe heat waves sparked wildfires across Oregon, burning more than 1.2 million acres and destroying thousands of structures. For communities along the Mount Hood corridor — one of the last populated stretches of the Pacific Northwest without a major wildfire on record — the season was a sobering reminder of what’s coming.

One legacy of that summer: a large cedar tree, damaged by the heat, left sitting dangerously close to a home. Rather than simply cut it down and haul it away, AntFarm crew lead Neil Hatley saw an opportunity.

“We’re turning what is and would be a problem into a solution.”

— Neil Hatley, AntFarm crew lead

The process started with safe removal — sectioning the tree carefully to protect the nearby house — then breaking the logs into mill-ready lengths. A partner contractor milled the wood on-site, running each log through to reveal the grain and color of fresh cedar boards, now stacked and drying for use in a community building project.

What couldn’t be milled got split into firewood for local families. Branches were chipped into mulch for the garden. Not a piece was wasted.

One tree, four outcomes-

Cedar boards for a community building project

Firewood for local families

Wood chip mulch for the garden

Hands-on skills training for youth crew

That last point matters as much as the lumber. Throughout the project, AntFarm’s youth crew worked alongside experienced professionals — learning rope skills, chainsaw safety, and the kind of practical knowledge that doesn’t come from a classroom. The crew is clear that this type of work requires proper training and safety gear, and takes that responsibility seriously at every step.

A safer home, beautiful lumber, firewood, garden mulch, and real skills in young hands. That’s what good work looks like, start to finish.

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AntFarm Youth Services

From Tree To Lumber – Nothing Goes To Waste

From hazard to harvest: turning a damaged tree into community resources