how to clean up after the loggers?

[valkman]

Morning all - new member and 1st time post. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I just bought a house with 12 acres, which was just about clear cut about 4 years ago. It improved the view for sure, but now I have 8 acres of 0 - 2" saplings springing up. My question is what is the best way to clean these up initally and and then keep them down and allow grass to grow up. ?

I will be having a dozer come in to plant the lawn in the spring, would the best way be to have him scrape it all. And then keep down the regrowth with a brush hog.?

Or, if I do it myself, would a tooth bar on a fel be the way to scoop them up?

Open to any ideas.
Thanks

 

[oldgrizzlybear]

Most bush hogs can handle 2" saplings. Then you can use something like 2-4, D to kill the new growth. 2-4,D will not kill grass but will kill most broad leafs which include trees and most weed.

Larry

 

[Boondox]

Welcome aboard! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Your profile is a little sketchy, so I don't know if all suggestions would fit your lifestyle. To keep brush down I've used a brushhog, backhoe, FEL, and even a logging winch to rip saplings out of the ground. But the easiest way is...sheep. If you're not in a big rush, ruminants can do the job very well besides being a lot of fun to watch. I love watching the biggest walk down a sapling and try to get anything to eat before the little ones have stripped every leaf off the tree!

Pete

 

[popeye]

If you want just grass to look at have a bulldozer come in and clear it and root plow it. Then go back and over seed it, if you want for it cows or to have a nice big yard. If not call a state wildlife biologist and let him look at it.
MIke

 

[valkman]

Boondox,
Fellow VTer I see! I just moved for the job from Southern VT to Lake Sunapee Region in NH.
Very interesting what you said about sheep - I have plans on getting two grass lambs in the spring. I did not know they would eat saplings?.
Can they just eat the saplings or should they also be fed pasture. Can I put up "portable" fencing to move them around as they do their job.?
Also how much land could 2 sheep clear? Do you think goats would be more voracious?

Thanks

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"I just bought a house with 12 acres, which was just about clear cut about 4 years ago...but now I have 8 acres of 0 - 2" saplings springing up...what is the best way to clean these up initally and and then keep them down and allow grass to grow up?</font>

Rent a dozer for a weekend or a week and clean out everything. I'm assuming you still have the stumps from the clearcutting operation. These have to be removed before you ever try to re-seed. When all stumps and saplings are gone, re-seed, and buy a good CUT with MM finishing mower to keep everything clean and pretty. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

....Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Like everyone said, use a dozer to clean it, then maybe use an excavator with a hydraulic thumb to load it and then go and dig out any stumps you want out. Or burn it if your state, city, or county lets you. I personally would leave some stumps just because I'm a birder and like to leave things as natural as possible, but that's just me. To clear our property at our old house, they used a tractor/loader, and a 490E excavator. Just like the one I attached. Nice machine. I got to drive it with the guy, his name was Erl (however you spell that) loader. lol. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Blake
WA

Blake
WA

 

[thcri]

Valman,

Based on my experience with clear cut you will have some pretty good sized stumps in the ground that after a couple of years you won't notice them so much but they are there. I agree with Rancar, get a bulldozer and work it up a bunch. A good sized tractor won't touch them stumps.

murph

 

[edt]

valkman welcome i'm also from nh so. nh i also had my land clear cut 6 acres worth. this summer i plan a clean up. Than it will become pasture for my 6 horses these people on this site have all the info you will ever need they are very knowledgeable i <font color="red"> </font> learn somthing every day have fun /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Taylortractornut]

we cleared off 4 acres that had the pines taken out i dug all the stumps wit my Ford hoe, and we marked out areas to clear when we got one area cleaned wm maked off another. On the stumps id recomened hire and excavator or an excavator wit ha stump splitter and a dozer or a larges dozer with a brush rake and a KG blade with stinger or a V blade and stinger. I got to operate my firt v blade and stinger the other day when my hoe at work was down they worked good in some 35 inch pin stumps and some larger hardwood stumps. Warehouser Has 3 older D9's with ve blades and stingers with Rome discks with 4 foot blades on them they drag an fix land thats ready to replant. My friend has a road they have to cross for them to get to there tree farms and they let me use there D9 with the brush rake and disks. THose disks gring it up in small peices we let them lay to compost and als stop eroison on hilly spots. We mounted a seeder on his old tree farmer skidder to soe the rough it works pretty good for his pasture in the hills