Hugelkultur sounds like in-situ composting to me, but with a tremendous amount of physical effort and machinery. Not easy for the average home owner to do.
> Besides, isn't this much better use of the wood than hauling it to the dump, or chipping it,
Chipping wood to make it into mulch and then spreading it over your garden beds also helps to retain moisture in the soil.
> or putting it in those big city bins for yard waste?
Cities recycle yard waste into mulch or compost that residents can use in their garden beds for much the same purpose: nourish the soil with organic matter and help it retain moisture.
I have had excellent results on a 10,000 sq.ft. lot in California with an in situ compost process like you describe. Just put down 6 inches of chipped trees from a tree trimmer, or the city compost yard, and let it decompose. Keep layering it on, year after year (less needed after the first time).
You have to go thicker than you probably will imagine. The initial load of chips filled my driveway to a height over my head. And be careful to keep the compost away from the trunks of existing trees, or it will tend to rot the trunk, which will kill the tree.
It costs practically nothing. You should be able to get the chips for free.
> Besides, isn't this much better use of the wood than hauling it to the dump, or chipping it,
Chipping wood to make it into mulch and then spreading it over your garden beds also helps to retain moisture in the soil.
> or putting it in those big city bins for yard waste?
Cities recycle yard waste into mulch or compost that residents can use in their garden beds for much the same purpose: nourish the soil with organic matter and help it retain moisture.