Land clearing, also forestry.

[joe t]

Hey I've got some time where I can get free from work with one of my helpers and I'm thinking about clearing some land. We have about 65 acres north east of houston (piney mixed).

I had my helper go brushhog the open areas (few acres) for me since it has been a couple/few years since we have really mowed and I'm trying to keep it maintained. He cut through some areas that haven't been maintained in about 10 years and it came out nice and now I have about 3 more acres of area that is kinda open and it made me think.

So I jumped on the tractor yesterday and cut through some even thicker stuff for a few minutes and it was getting down 2-3 inch sapplings mainly hardwood. Kind hard on the tractor. Luckily for the tractor I hit a culvert and blew the rear tire before getting too far.


Anyway I was thinking about renting a dozer for a week and just having my helper run through the woods and knock down all these sapplings that are below about 10 inches in diameter. Then waiting a couple years and going back through and brushhogging. Would this work? I've seen my neighbor do something similar but he has a bunch of equipment.


The county also wants me to forest the property and we have put in a new timber plan and the forester explained to me that I need open space so that trees will grow. So I need to do some forestry work too. I think this plan will work.


Cliff notes:

1)Run through quickly with a dozer to knock down the smaller tightly growing trees (mainly hardwoood)?
2)Brushhog a couple years later (say with the mower deck up high just to knock everything down and let it rot)?
3)I need to take some timber off and follow the timber plan, should I clear up this land before or after this?


When they forest it will not be a clear cut and they will leave it mixed hardwood and pine. I want the woods to be healthy so we can harvest it every so often, the forester explained all this, mainly the areas need to be open so that the trees will grow up straight etc.



What do you guys think?

 

[joe t]

Also, I have a 1900 Ford 2wd with a FEL. It is like 30hp with like a 4 ft brushhog on it, brand I don't know.


I'll try to get some pictures, thinking about going up there this afternoon so I can get the flat tire/wheel and get it fixed this week.

 

[amaxwell]

I don't know if you have anyone in your area that uses a forestry mulching machine ,but that would be the best way. The 10" trees pushed down by the dozer will not decay in just a few years and will make driving over with a tractor almost impossible. The trees pushed by dozer usually have to be piled and burned to dispose of them without waiting several years.The mulcher is expensive but does a great job of getting everything low enough to bushhog.

 

[joe t]

We have thought of the mulcher but can not justify the cost. Although it would be much cleaner.

This is timber land, ag exempt and just sits vacant. There is a building for tractors and tools etc and a little pond but we do not use the land for anything else currently. Although I may change that and build a house there one day.


Do not care if it is ugly for awhile.


I agree on the 10 inch trees, we might just do 6 inch trees. Brushhog it after a couple years after they have been sitting on the ground for awhile.


The point is to open it up so stronger trees can grow up. The forester showed me how it is too thick and hurting the tree growth.

 

[Redbug]

I think I would talk with the forester about doing some controlled burns. You can do it in sections. Springtime is the best time for doing that kind of thing, before the leaves come out. You could take a dozer and cut some firebreaks.

Once you have it burned off the way you want it, then it should be easier to work on opening it up even more and pushing that debris into burn piles.

 

[joe t]

I'll ask him.


I've been looking into this today and it looks like I need a heavy duty brushhog. They make them rated up to 4 inches cut capacity. But it requires a 60hp tractor to use them. 3.5 inch looks like 50hp. Going off rough numbers from the ones I have found.


I'd prefer to not push rake or burn and just do it at my own pace.

 

[Redbug]

You need to get a Brown cutter. Some models are designed to cut trees by backing into them and then mulching them up. Pretty heavy duty bush hogs. The state highway crews use them and along ROWs. Sometimes you can find them used.
http://www.brownmanufacturing.us/catalog/7

 

[JHTFarmer]

I'd ask a forester to look at the place, if it was me. Might be suitable for a prescribed burn. Also, depending what your long term goals are, a salvage harvest followed by stump shearing, raking and replanting might be possibility.

 

[MarkV]

You mentioned needing to take some timber off and it sounded like you will bring in loggers to do that. First I would wait until that is done to see what you are dealing with. The process will do much of your clearing and also show much more that needs attention. Renting a dozer ahead of time and mowing seems like a waste from my experience with harvesting timber.

If loggers are chipping for power plant fuel in your area it would be perfect for you. We had 70 acres logged 2 years ago and searched for a logger that used a chipper for tops and scrub brush. They sell the chips to a power plant for fuel. We didn't make any money on the chip tonnage but ended up with the cleanest logging site I have seen. Your forester would know if that is being done in your area.

MarkV

 

[Redbug]

If loggers are chipping for power plant fuel in your area it would be perfect for you. We had 70 acres logged 2 years ago and searched for a logger that used a chipper for tops and scrub brush. They sell the chips to a power plant for fuel. We didn't make any money on the chip tonnage but ended up with the cleanest logging site I have seen. Your forester would know if that is being done in your area.

MarkV

That's a really good idea.