My friend and I were paid $100 to clear a section of land back in High School. It was maybe 5 acres of second growth timber entangled in blackberry bushes. It was shaped like a triangle, so we naturally started at the tip. Machete’s in hand we went to work clearing the undergrowth so we could eventually go in with a chainsaw to cut down trees, chop up the fallen logs, and clear a path for heavy machinery to rip out the stumps. We started work early for high schoolers, maybe 10am, and worked until 2pm when the summer heat zapped all of our energy. A good days work clearing 10-15 feet of PNW.

Then we never went back. It turns out that hiring two high school boys armed only with Machetes might not help you clear your land as thoroughly as you would like… or at all. You should also pay when the job is done and not before.

So what should you do if you dream of turning wild woods into something more managed?

How do you clear your land?

While a large forestry operation will use Delimbers, Feller Bunchers, Log Loaders, Forwards, and Harvesters to clear square kilometers of woodland, you might have just acres you want to manage. This smaller operation still needs powerful, reliable, and adaptable equipment to get the job done. Equipment like New Holland or Bobcat Tracked Skid Steers, a forestry attachment from Diamond Mowers, a compact tractor with grapple attachment, and a trusty chainsaw.

Skid Steer

The Tracked Skid Steer provides a unique platform for mounting your mulching attachment. Powerful, durable, and maneuverable the Skid Steer allows you to power through thick brush, climb steep hills, and protects you from all the thorns, barbs, and shrapnel you’ll create while mulching. The New Holland C327 is a 74HP Tracked Skid Steer, part of the New Holland 300-Series models built for their strength, visibility, power, and smooth ride. Or the JCB 215T Tracked Skid Steer with tis 60% better visibility around the machine than conventional twin-arm machines. Or the Bobcat T62, a 64HP model that sports a sealed and pressurized cab that repels dust and dirt. Using the 3pt Quick Hitch you can easily and quickly attach the tool you need.

Forestry Attachment

Something like the Diamond Mower SK Drum Mulcher DC PRO X that can taken down trees or brush up to 9″ diameter. With either 60″ or 72″ widths, the SK Drum Mulcher is ideal for turning brush and trees into a finer mulch for quick decomposition. Need to cut even larger trees and bushes? The Diamond Mowers SK Disc Mulcher PRO X allows you to cut 14″ diameter trees or mulch 6″ diameters for a finer Mulch, more finished look, with fewer risks. Once you’ve cleared out the bush and trees its time to use the Diamond Mowers Reflex or Miller Stump Grinders to finish the job. The Reflex Stump Grind is a 24″ or 26″ attachment that boasts 24 / 30 carbide teeth to slice smoothly through tough material and resist impact and abrasion while the Miller Stump Grinder is a 26″ wide attachment designed for high-flow hydraulic machines to grind any size stump below ground level.

Compact Tractor

As you fell you trees you’ll need to move them to a place where you can delimb them and cut them into rounds. A Compact Tractor like the a New Holland Workmaster 25 or Yanmar SA325 attached with grapple like the Westendorf BC-4300 Brush Grapple or Braber SSGB2254 Grapple Bucket with make cleanup and loading go quickly.

Chainsaw

When it is time to delimb and cut your trees, a trusty chainsaw will make short work of the pines, firs, and oaks native to Washington and Oregon. Kress’ line of chainsaws offer long lasting battery powered models like the KC300.9 16″ 60V Chainsaw or the Kress KG368 60V 18″ Brushless Chainsaw that will provide you with professional-level performance without noise, complexity, and exhaust fumes.