Clearing 154 acres of woods in west Tennessee

[dodge man]

I know for construction anything over an acre disturbed requires a Storm Water Pollution Plan(SWPP). There is an exception for normal farming operations. I’m not sure if clearing for farming would let you skip this or not.

 

[turbo36]

^truth.

Sometime "woods" are there simply because the farmland was neglected for 10 years or so. Maybe it is excellent.

For everyone worried about trees...they grow back. Heck, most of the great plains in the US was virtually tree less until the mid 1800s when settlers moved in and started planting them. It's not AG land that is removing trees, it is cities and suburbs. Ag just switches a 20 year crop to an annual crop. My trees are only about 12 years old and are huge. They need to be thinned a bit.

I think these folks will disagree with you!

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=usdafsfacpub

 

[big bubba]

haven't heard much lately from OP. but i'm w/consensus, don't do it. depending on his age, probably won't retrieve the investment. still, worthy of discussion as long as i'm not paying the bills. like the open discussion though (but always w/respect), regards

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

154 acres is 6,708,240 sq.ft.
Imagine a house built in the middle clearing off 1-2 acres. Your driveway depending on land shape of course would be at least 1/4 mile long. What a privacy dream that would be. Right now I'm clearing about 1.5 acres that's full of trash trees, mostly 3" to 6" diameter scrub pine and cedars. (No rush...I just work on it 2 hours a week! ). I'll either grapple move stuff to a burn pile or let it rot downhill side. I'll leave those two large poplars, level, plow rows and plant Christmas trees.
I think about over 100x that area what a job.

 

[Yander]

I'm sitting here looking out my back window at about 120 acres and the just the thought of having to clear that makes me tired.

Not saying don't do it but that is a BIG job. Hope you have some free time.

Now to answer your question. Talk to someone who does this for a living. Get whatever they recommend.

 

[GLyford]

I'm really liking the put up fencing and let the cows do the work idea...if you want to go faster, try goats but you'll need a heck of a fence.

 

[Torvy]

I think these folks will disagree with you!

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=usdafsfacpub

No, they don't disagree. The only places there were trees were along riverbeds. (Riparian forest). Hence the term virtually. Most normal people don't call those forest. Just some woods along the river. Move a few yards away from the river and you have miles of grass and no trees.

 

[deezler]

Sorry if this sounds rude, but are you serious? You want to destroy 150 acres of natural wooded area? If you need 300 acres of row crops, why didn't you just buy 300 acres of existing farmland? 150 acres is already a huge farm to manage. I don't get to decide whether this is the right and moral thing for you to do, but you asked for opinions, so mine is: please don't do it.

Dang, my notifications bell went crazy on this one. Got 45 likes and still climbing daily.

Meanwhile the OP never came back huh. Some pictures or further description would have really helped. Sheesh.

 

[D&D]

I know for construction anything over an acre disturbed requires a Storm Water Pollution Plan(SWPP). There is an exception for normal farming operations. I’m not sure if clearing for farming would let you skip this or not.

we would need Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) plus a Forest Conservation Plan (FCP) plus grading and burn permits. The survey/engineering fees would be at least 10K.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

we would need Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) plus a Forest Conservation Plan (FCP) plus grading and burn permits. The survey/engineering fees would be at least 10K.

Thank goodness not everywhere is that crazy.