Land Clearing Birmingham Al
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Land cleaning can be accomplished by a variety of techniques. Each has advantages and disadvantages to include financial and labor considerations. It is important to decide with professional help which method is the most appropriate for the goal or project and for the type of land to be cleared.
Total land clearing is the clearing of all the trees, stumps, brush, rocks and all other objects above or on the surface of a piece of land. Grubbing is the term for the removal of unwanted vegetation below the surface such as stumps, rocks, roots and other buried objects.
Total land clearing may be required for new construction, roads, utilities, agricultural farming and pasturing, or for many other reasons.
There is also selective land clearing where certain vegetation is maintained for aesthetic or other intended purposes. Selective land clearing or forest thinning may be needed for new or improved landscaping, to help remaining plants and trees to thrive, to get control over neglected land, or for variety of purposes.
Land clearing can be as small as an overgrown backyard for safety or landscaping or as big as a multiacre site for commercial construction.
Benefits Of Land Clearing
- Appearance – Land clearing gives a clean pallet to begin work or leave a more coherent landscape.
- Healthier soil – Land clearing can make way for more sunshine and water. Leaving natural mulch protects the soil.
- Safer environment – Clearing of vegetation around a house or other structures is the primary defense against wildfires. Removing or reducing grass, brush, shrubs, and trees will drastically reduce the chance of a catastrophic fire event to the structures and surrounding property.
- Land Value – Land that is not convenient because of overgrown vegetation is less valuable than land that is easily accessible. Cleared land is also more attractive to potential buyers because it requires less work and money on their part.
Methods of Land Clearing
There are many different techniques and equipment utilized to either totally or selectively clear land. Equipment such as chainsaws, bulldozers, skid steers, bushhogs, excavators, and mulchers can be used. Some of the methods of clearing land are brush clearing, hand cutting / clearing, dozing, burning and forestry mulching.
There are advantages and disadvantages to equipment and method choice. Professionals understand the best choice for each project as well as the environmental impact. Consult a professional about protected wetlands, wildlife habitat protocols, permits and test that may be required.
Brush clearing
Clearing or thinning of undesired / unwanted scrub vegetation without disturbing the soil. Bushhogging is an efficient way to clear brush if it is easily accessible. The brush can be hauled away, burned on site or mulched leaving natural organic material.
Hand cutting / clearing
This method is the most time consuming. Homeowners tend to take on this task on their own. This is a good method for a small area and is the least invasive. Common tools that are used are chainsaws and swing blades. Plans need to be developed about steps to clear land and decisions made about disposal of brush, stumps and trees prior to starting. The biggest mistakes homeowners make is underestimating how big the job really is.
Dozing
Clears a lot of land quickly. It requires the use of heavy equipment such as a bulldozer or excavator. Dozing can be rough on the land leaving large holes and a rough, uneven, and messy terrain. Dirt may be needed to fill in holes. A second pass over the property is usually necessary to finish the job. The soil is repeatedly disturbed and there may be erosion and draining issues if not properly finished. The dozing will leave a massive pile of debris. It will have to be burned or pay to have it hauled away. This method is fast but ends up being costly because of the added steps to complete the job.
Burning
Clearing land by burning the vegetation is an economical, quick and effective method, but there are many things to consider. The most important thing is safety to humans, wildlife and property. A fire can quickly get out of hand and become a wildfire and be slow to extinguish. The cost could be immeasurable. Burning does not allow you to be selective and everything is burned. The excessive heat from a land clearing burn can damage soil, make it impossible to grow anything and cause erosion by eliminating all the ground cover.
Mulching
Forest mulching is probably the best technique for large or small land clearing. Large equipment such as a skid steer with a drum or disc attachment does the job in the most efficient and simple manner. Mulching allows for selective clearing leaving valuable vegetation that may be required for financial, aesthetic or erosion reasons. It is an excellent alternative to dozing or burning. Mulching allows trees and underbrush to be removed with minimal disturbance of the soil. Mulching does not leave big holes that need to be filled in later. The mulch does not need to be burned or hauled away. Mulching returns the organic material to the land and provides a natural barrier to prevent unwanted regrowth. This natural barrier reduces the need for land clearing and brush cleaning again for many years. Mulching selectively cuts and processes the vegetation in one step making it the most efficient method of land clearing. Mulching is the least invasive method of total or selective land clearing leaving the land in better condition than before it was worked. There is minimal disturbance to the land and leaves it in a more natural state. Utilizing the mulching technique does not require rework thereby saving money and time.
Contact RJ Tree Service for Land Clearing
Prepare your property for new possibilities with our land clearing services. Contact RJ Tree Service today at (205) 871-3617 for a free estimate. We're here to help you transform your property into a space that suits your needs.
