Where to find telephone poles

They mark their territory by clawing and chewing on the poles. It can become a real problem in bear-heavy areas, but one solution seems to work: leaving old bear-shredded poles up when installing new ones.

The bears tend to leave the new poles alone, preferring the old chewed-up ones. A few considerations can make them an even better choice:. The wrong distribution of a load especially a long heavy one like a load of poles can damage a trailer or even cause an accident. With tag-a-long pole trailers, drivers must be especially careful when calculating tongue load: too much weight could damage the tongue hitch , while too little could cause the trailer to wander or even fishtail.

Since the gross vehicle weight G. For example, if the tongue can carry 4, lbs. W of 16, lbs. They store carbon removed from the atmosphere, unlike steel or concrete poles, which are energy-intensive to manufacture.

He has been in the pole business for 40 years and is also a certified Tree Farmer. ATFS provides the tools and information to help Tree Farmers and woodland owners keep forests healthy and productive.

It is time to take action for the health of your forest. The power of the American Tree Farm System comes from its people. Find out how we grow stewardship from the roots by signing up for AFF's weekly e-newsletter.

Skip navigation. About Us E-Newsletter Contact. Follow Us. Search Bulletin Search. Archive View Past Issues. Winter Some million wooden utility poles are in service across North America. In the U. Most poles are made from southern yellow pine, Douglas fir or western red cedar, though other conifers are also used. According to the North American Wood Poles Council, only 7 percent of the trees in a typical plantation will have the length, straightness, taper and other characteristics necessary for a utility pole.

After harvesting and transport to the lumber yard, the trunk is debarked, shaped to make it as straight as possible and classified according to ANSI standards. Holes are drilled to allow for the attachment of hardware and to provide access for preservatives to the interior of the pole. They are then seasoned by air and kiln drying or steamed in long pressurized cylinders called retorts.

Without the final step of infusion with preservatives, a pole would be lucky to last five years against the onslaught of an army of decomposers. Typically, one of five EPA-approved preservatives is pumped into a long retort containing a cart supporting a couple dozen poles.

The preservatives are driven into the cells of the wood under high pressure for a period of time that varies depending on pole size, tree species and type of preservative. The whole process from tree selection through preservation is nicely illustrated in a five minute YouTube video youtube. Sticking a pole in the ground so it stays is an art form all to itself.