The act of removing trees, shrubbery, stumps, and brush from a designated area, land clearing has several applications. It’s used to make room for new construction, both residential and commercial, and to create space for farmers planting crops. Learn about the types of land clearing available as you review environmental restrictions for your plot with excavating contractors.

4 Land Clearing Methods to Know About

1. Manual

The safest form of land clearing, the manual method uses machetes, slasher hoes, and other hand tools to remove vegetation. Also the least expensive option, manual clearing is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming. It is subsequently best for small pieces of land only.

2. Cut & Grind

Cut and grind clearing involves cutting down trees in addition to removing brush. The stumps are then ground down on-site for use as mulching material, though they can also be fully uprooted using backhoes or other heavy machinery. Another form of cut and grind clearing is forestry mowing, which involves mowing down everything on a piece of land, including small and medium-sized trees, before grinding the remnants into mulch.

3. Controlled Burning

Using fire to clear land can be extremely dangerous. While it’s possible to contain the blaze and put it out efficiently, elements such as strong gusts of wind can quickly spread the fire to potentially result in property damage and injuries. Bulldozers or other heavy machinery are also used in this land clearing method to deal with the remaining trees and brush.

4. Pushover

Perhaps the most eco-friendly land clearing option, the pushover method uses major machinery to push over trees while leaving the roots intact. The trees are then moved to another location for use as mulch. They can also be sold as-is for planting elsewhere. Brush gets removed separately. And since this method leaves large holes in the ground, they are immediately filled in using a backhoe or bulldozer.

 

Discuss the best land clearing method for your project with the team at Valley Excavating in Kalispell, MT. The locally owned company has served the Flathead Valley and surrounding areas since 1995 and provides affordable residential and commercial services that area residents depend on. Call (406) 857-2086 today for a free estimate or visit the excavators online for a full service list. See their latest projects on Facebook.