Portola Valley Update April 4, 2024

This week's update:

• Free Compost Give Away for Portola Valley Residents – April 19th
• Wildfire Preparedness Tip - Shaded Fuel Breaks Really Work!
• Neighborhood Clean-Up April 27th
• Friends of the Portola Valley Library Event – Book Reading with Sue Crane
• 2024 Season of Take a Hike Begins April 6 at Memorial County Park
• Upcoming Events

Free Compost Give Away for Portola Valley Residents – April 19th

The Town of Portola Valley, in collaboration with GreenWaste, is offering free compost for residents of Portola Valley. The giveaway will take place at the Schoolhouse parking lot starting in the afternoon on April 19th. Portola Valley households are entitled to one bag each, available on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies run out. This initiative aims to promote sustainable waste management practices. And the positive impact composting has on our soil and environment.

Derived entirely from recycled green and yard waste, this compost is designed to benefit soil health. However, it's important to note that you can't just stick seeds directly into it – it's more like a soil booster than a planting medium.

So, what makes this compost so special? Well, it's packed with benefits. It helps soil retain water better, improves its structure, boosts organic matter content, and enhances microbial activity. Plus, there are different ways to apply it, whether by mixing it into the soil, blending it with other materials, or using it as a top dressing. With GreenWaste's compost, gardens can thrive and flourish like never before.

Learn more about the composting facility used by Greenwaste.

GreenWaste Z-Best Composting Facility

GreenWaste Z-Best Facility Virtual Tour

Wildfire Preparedness Tip - Shaded Fuel Breaks Really Work!

In the Feb-27-2024 tip on shaded fuel breaks, we explained what they are and how to create them. And we know they work! There is growing research that fuel treatments can have beneficial effects even as long as 20 years, because they reduce fire severity and tree mortality.

In another example, burn boss Nathan Burmester shared his Nature Conservancy work in North Carolina. On the right side of the red flag in this photo, a wildfire raged through the conservancy. But the wildfire petered out when it got to the area on the left side of the red flag, where a prescribed burn had been done the year before. Click on the caption to explore his photo in 360 degrees.