Wilson’s Woodyard is based in Red River and is run by Eddie Wilson, a Texas-born former firefighter. Wilson’s Woodyard specializes in hazardous tree removal and serves the entire Enchanted Circle area. Mr. Wilson has 12 years of experience working for the US Forest Service, from which he retired in 2012. Wilson’s private business began as a hobby and “side hustle” as he calls it, when he was still with the forest service. and he built a reputation for himself as an expert in tree removal.
“All of my crew, we’re all retired wildland firefighters, so that’s how I got the start in the business,” Wilson explained in a June 22 interview with the Questa del Rio News. “We’re all really good with chainsaws, so I carried that into the business.”
Wilson started with one truck. Today he owns two bucket trucks, a log grapple truck, skid steers (Bobcats), chippers, and four dump trucks.
“I challenge [anyone] to find us a tree we can’t take down,” Wilson says with pride.
Wilson has done some recent work in Angel Fire in response to the Cerro Pelado fire in the area, and will be working down in Mora County later this month—all private work. “The Forest Service doesn’t pay as well as private individuals,” Wilson said with a chuckle.
The Questa News asked Wilson about basic things that every homeowner can do to make their homes more fire resistant.
“The best thing someone can do is create a defensible space around their house… If possible, clear dry brush at least a hundred feet around the house, clear branches on trees up to eight feet high from the ground, take out all the dead material… never stack up firewood underneath your house… Lawns are fine; it’s mainly the dead material you want to get out of there. And every property is different.”
Pricing for Wilson’s knowledge and services can vary, depending on the properties he surveys, but he offers a free consultation to survey the property in question so he can analyze and determine what needs to be done to improve fire resistance. Generally, the more simple a project, the cheaper it will be. The more dangerous a project is, with more liability he takes on, the more expensive the cost.
“If I just have to cut down a single tree in a field, it’s pretty cheap. If you have a big tree hanging over your house, that will be more expensive.”
Wilson moved to Red River from Texas in 1995 and stayed here because he enjoys skiing. Between 1995 and 2000 he worked as a ski instructor until he decided to start building a career as a firefighter.
If you would like to contract with Wilson’s Woodyard, you can find more information about the business at https://www.wilsonswoodyard.com. You can also contact Eddie Wilson at (505) 316-6039.
