At Baltimore's Camp Small, Woodworkers Breathe New Life Into Fallen Trees
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- When a tree falls in Baltimore, where does it go? The short answer is Camp Small.
While the word "small" is part of its name, this five-acre property nestled between Interstate 83 and Baltimore's Cold Spring neighborhood is anything but.
A canyon of logs lines the winding road that leads back to the 80-year-old camp, where thousands of pounds of wood are brought each year.
It's at this wood waste collection yard, which is run by Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, that woodworkers breathe new life into fallen trees.
"Something that is a nuisance to so many people is valuable to others, and we're here able to capture those values," Shaun Preston, the yard master, told WJZ.
At Camp Small, visitors will find pretty much any type of tree imaginable, from white oaks and red oaks to even rarer species.
After arriving at the camp, downed trees are transformed into logs, lumber and furniture.
The woodworking camp is open to anyone interested in working with their hands.
"It's magic every time we run the sawmill," operations specialist Nick Oster said. " ... We peel off that layer of bark, and we get a layer of bark and we get a look at the beautiful grain inside."
It is estimated that 9,000 tons of woods is brought to Camp Small each year. Besides the environmental benefits, there are learning opportunities, too.
Oster and Preston are in charge of training future woodworkers in the trade, equipping them with vital skills for job opportunities.
"We're able to capture all the materials and make products out of all of it," Preston said. "No one is doing that in the country."
