Spring No-Cost Chipping [CLOSED]

New to the Program? Watch the video to learn more! The application can be found at the bottom of the page at the end of the tutorial section.

The Spring Chipping program signups open to the general public on April 1. Chipping will take place starting May 4 and can take 2-4 weeks to reach all households.

You stack it, we chip it! This program offers no-cost chipping to eligible Santa Cruz County residents for material in the defensible space zone. Residents are allowed up to 3 piles per household. To be notified when chipping registration opens each year, please subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page. To see if you are eligibible for the program, check the map below.

Note: The Spring Chipping Program will no longer allow community leaders to sign up on behalf of community members. All participants must sign up individually. For coordinated community-wide projects, including the chipping of extra road material, see the RCD's Fall Chipping program.

Registration begins for all eligible Santa Cruz County residents on April 1st and runs through April 30th. Members of FireWise Communities may sign up a week early, starting March 25. Your FireWise leader will provide more information about early registration.

Piles must be ready for chipping prior to registering and NO LATER than April 30.

How do I sign up for the chipping program? (NOTE: The process this year is NEW)

STEP 1. Ensure Eligibility. Check the address where the chipping will occur using the chipping map to ensure that you are eligible and note any special considerations that may apply to your specific address.

STEP 2. Prepare your piles. Review the chipping program guidelines tutorial (beneath the map below) or watch the Chipping Program video at the top of the page to learn how to prepare your piles. Piles not meeting these guidelines will NOT be chipped.

STEP 3. Complete the Chipping Sign-up Form by April 30th. This sign-up form can be found at the end of the chipping program guidelines tutorial. Make sure to submit this form or you WILL NOT be added to the schedule for chipping. NO LATE FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Piles will be chipped during the month of May. We are unable to schedule individual dates, but you will receive an email notification with a 7 day window for which chipping will take place in your area.

Who is eligible?

Chipping services are available for Santa Cruz County residential properties with occupied structures that are within the Wildland Urban Interface (see map).

Residents of the South Skyline and Bonny Doon areas of Santa Cruz County are not currently eligible and should sign up for chipping services through their local Fire Safe Councils.

Property owners impacted by the CZU Fire who lost their home may participate in the program if:

Your new home will be rebuilt before the end of the 2026 fire season OR
You are currently living on the property in a temporary dwelling (mobile home, RV, etc) as your primary residence and will be there through the 2026 fire season OR
Vegetation on your property is within 100 feet of a neighbor’s occupied home.

Please note, if you have gated access, you MUST provide a gate code or location of a key.

What can be chipped?

This program can only chip vegetative material that originated within 100 feet of an occupied structure or within 10 feet on either side of a private road.

Step1: Find your property to confirm you are within the RCD program boundaries.

To locate your property, type your address in the search box on the upper right-hand section of the map and choose your address from the options given OR hit the search button (magnifying glass). This will zoom the map to your property. Alternately, using your mouse and the plus or minus buttons on the upper left, navigate and zoom into your property location. Click on the colored region where your property is located to make sure you are eligible for the RCD's program. Links are provided directly to other local programs where available.

You can use zoom in/ out tools in the left corner of the map to adjust the map scale.

iFrames are not supported on this page.

Step 2: Review the chipping program requirements tutorial and prepare your piles.

Step 3: Complete the chipping sign-up form (last page of tutorial).

Tutorial

Using your mouse, click through the slides below. You will learn about the program, what your responsibilities are, how to build your piles and program deadlines. This process will take 5 to 10 minutes. At the end of the tutorial, you will find the link to the sign-up form. Your piles MUST be ready to chip before signing up.

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Tutorial

The goal of the chipping program is to assist residents in creating defensible space around their homes and private roads. It is essential for improving your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire and your ability to get out safely.

Defensible space is the buffer you create between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland areas that surround it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it helps protect your home from catching fire—either from direct flame contact or radiant heat. It is also important for protecting the firefighters and first responders who are performing rescues and saving homes.

This tutorial will walk you through the steps to participate in the program.
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Sign-up to reserve a space for the program

At the end of this tutorial you will be directed to a link to complete the online registration. Each participant must complete their own registration.

One email address can only reserve a spot for one property. You will immediately receive an email confirming your registration.

Please note, applications close April 30.
3/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

Safety. When creating defensible space, be aware that new hazards can arise if measures are not taken to protect bare soil and slopes from erosion. Be conscious of high voltage power lines on or near your property. Be fire safe when using motorized equipment to clear defensible space. Work early during the day with lower temperatures and higher humidity. All motorized equipment should have spark arrestors.
4/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

Nesting Birds. Visually inspect the tree, branch or shrub for signs of nests or nesting activity before cutting. If you find a nest, do not do any cutting within at least 50’ of the nest until the chick has fledged. Do not attempt to move or disturb the nest.

It is unlawful to needlessly destroy the nest of any nesting bird – CDFW Code 3503.

Additional precautions may also be needed for vegation removal if you live in the Santa Cruz Sandhills, Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander Habitat or within 50 feet of a river, creek or stream.
5/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

This Program can only chip materials that originated within 100 feet of occupied structures or within 10 feet on either side of a private road. Visit the Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County for more information on defensible space and home hardening tips.

If you can, we love to see your work! Feel free to take before and after photos of the clearing work. Photos should be taken from the same location. Photos can be emailed to .
6/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles
Piles CAN include:

Tree limbs up to 8 inches in diameter and 10 feet long (don't cut into shorter branches because the longer branches are easier to chip).

Side branches up to 4 feet (trim side branches greater that 4 feet wide)

Vegetation cleared from within 100 feet of a home or 10 feet on either side of a private road.

Piles MUST be hand stacked.

Cut ends should all face the same direction toward the road and on the uphill side of sloped roads.
7/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles
Piles CAN NOT include:

Timber harvest debris, or vineyard and orchard waste.

Poison oak, English ivy, or blackberry vines.

Broom or acacia with seed pods, or other invasive materials.

Non-compostable materials (painted or treated lumber, trash, metal wire, etc.)

Palm fronds, roots, stumps, rocks or mud.

NO LOOSE DOGS OR LOCKED GATES (unless gate codes or keys are provided).
8/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

Each property is allowed up to three piles at 8 x 4 x 10 feet each (depth is dependent on length of branches). Piles must be hand stacked. Cut ends should all face the same direction toward the road and on the uphill side of sloped roads.
9/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

Pile locations must be accessible to a large box truck and chipper trailer. Extremely narrow or steep driveways may not be serviceable.

Piles must be located within 5 feet of chipper access location.

Chipper access must be along established roads in good condition. Unpaved roads can not be wet at time of chipping service.

Again, NO locked gates or loose dogs.
10/13

Complete clearing and prepare piles

Chips will be blown back onto your property.* Place piles in an area where you want the chips. Check the RCD resources library for the top 10 uses for chips.

Make sure your street address is visible and that piles are clearly marked with your street number. Mark road piles with your road name.

Remember. N0 locked gates or loose dogs.

*Participants who live in Sandhills or Long-Toed Salamander Habitat will have their chips hauled away. The application form will alert you if you live in these habitats.
11/13

Schedule chipping

Once your piles are ready for chipping, complete the chipping registration form to ensure that your address is provided to the chipping contractor. The deadline for completing this form is April 30th for all applicants.

Chipping will begin in May. If you do not want your piles sitting for too long, we recommend preparing them as close as possible to the April 30th deadline. The program will not be capped this year; all who are eligible and apply before April 30th will recieve chipping.

We can ONLY provide a 7 day window for chipping due to the number of properties we are servicing. No indivdual dates can be scheduled.

NO LATE FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
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Confirm Chipping

Data needed for the registration form:

1. Name, address, phone number and email address.

2. How many piles and the average measurements in feet (length x height x depth) of the piles.

3. The number of hours and date range that you spent clearing and preparing your piles OR the dollar amount you paid a third party to do this work (this is used as in-kind match and is critical for us to secure funding for chipping).

4. Any special instructions for entry to your property (gate codes or key access, directions if you property of not properly mapped on google, etc). These instruction are provided to the contractor. Please note, that the contractor CANNOT call prior to their arrival, so please don't ask.
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Confirm Chipping

After submitting your Registration Form your should recieve a confirmation email that your application has been submitted.

Contractors may do a quick drive-by assessment prior to chipping to check for access issues or other concerns.

Complete your registration on the next slide ->
Complete Your Application

REGISTRATION CLOSED