stump removal melbourne

Can You Clear Land Yourself?

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    The freedom to alter one's own property as one sees fit is a major selling point for home ownership. The process of clearing land is an integral component of property ownership, especially for properties located outside of urban areas. Unusable property that is rocky and forested can be transformed into something attractive and productive with a little effort. Putting in the time and effort to cultivate a farm, garden, pasture, construction site, or even just improve the aesthetics of your land will pay off in the end.

    Land clearing is a laborious task that typically necessitates the use of large gear and a lot of man hours, but you can do it by hand if you put in the effort.

    Clearing land can be arduous work. In many cases, after purchasing a piece of land, the first step in constructing it will be to clear the area. If you have the correct equipment, clearing land can be an easy and inexpensive process. Other times, however, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time and money clearing your chosen area of land.

    However, not all of those homes will remain empty. Potential property investors in the Augusta, Georgia area might benefit from exploring untapped areas where they can put down roots. They understand that a substantial boost in property value and ROI is possible through renovations.

    You may not be in the same position as them, but you share their goal of repurposing a vacant plot of land.

    Why Would I Clear Land By Hand?

    Determine your motivation for clearing land by hand and whether or not you can actually do it before you begin.

    Here are three cases in which clearing land by hand might make sense:

    • It is a little plot of land.
    • It is not particularly challenging terrain.
    • It makes no difference how long it takes.

    Land-Clearing Tools

    After making the decision to clear the land on your own, the next step is to gather the necessary equipment.

    We will assume that you are competent in the use of heavy machinery given that you possess one. However, we are going to presume that you don't for the purposes of this essay.

    What you'll require is detailed below.

    • Axe
    • Spade
    • Hatchet
    • Brush Grubber
    • Truck/tractor
    • Weedwacker
    • A chainsaw with multiple chains
    • Loppers and other tools for pruning

    removal stump meboourne

    Methods For Clearing Your Property

    Dozing And Grubbing

    This method of land clearing allows you to clear a large area quickly. However, this rapid pace results in huge holes that make the final product look rough and sloppy. Sometimes a product with this finish is good enough. There will be holes in the ground that will need to be filled with dirt before you can use the area for pasturing animals or harvesting hay.

    Since the speed with which you cleared is swiftly cancelled out, a second pass is required to complete the task. The final result will be a mountain of garbage that needs to be disposed of or incinerated. Some extra time and money may be required for this.

    Cut And Grind

    When it comes to tree removal, the cut-and-grind method works best for smaller properties.

    This is the initial way of cutting and grinding. Remove the overgrowth of weeds and brush first. Depending on the available time and resources, this can be done with a variety of instruments, such as a brush mower or root plough.

    After that, heavy machinery cuts down the trees and stacks them. They can then be moved and processed with little effort.

    Bulldozers, Backhoes, or trucks may be used to remove any remaining stumps.

    Alternatively, the stumps can be mulched and used as a fertiliser by spreading them around the field.

    Following that line of thinking, we resort to a second cut-and-grind technique, in which everything is reduced to mulch. After that, forestry mowers chop up the fallen trees (anything from saplings to medium-sized specimens) and scatter the fragments across the landscape.

    In the case of larger trees, a stump grinder is used to remove the stump completely, leaving only the top layer of dirt between it and the ground.

    Pushover

    What is commonly known as "pushover land clearing" is using heavy, expensive machines to physically remove massive vegetation. However, this does not affect the roots themselves.

    When compared to more specialised land clearing equipment, bulldozers excel in cleaning medium and small-sized regions. Then then, it all comes down to the available room and the available funds.

    Using this method, you'll need to push over some big trees and bushes. Finally, the bulldozer (or backhoe, if that's what was used for the pushover) fills in the remaining holes.

    Unfortunately, this approach can be detrimental to your topsoil if not well managed. But if your yard is filled with towering trees, that may be inevitable. It's not just the trees themselves that will cause issues for your construction project; it's the roots.

    If you choose for the pushover strategy, remember that destroying trees may reduce the value of the timber they contain. Therefore, this may not be the best approach if you're dealing with priceless hardwood.

    Spade

    When removing a tiny tree, it's vital to first assess the depth of its roots and then loosen the tree so it can be pulled out. A spade is the tool of choice for planting shrubs, bushes, and smaller trees.

    Burning

    The land can be cleared rapidly with a prescribed burn. This method of land removal is efficient. However, there are some big caveats to this.

    • You can't pick and choose which trees or bushes to chop down.
    • Fires can easily get out of hand, resulting in costly and unnecessary property damage.
    • A fire's heat can sterilise the soil, rendering it unusable for plant growth for an extended period of time.
    • This method of clearing not only removes all vegetation, but also increases the likelihood of erosion.

    As important as it is to prevent erosion, it is also important to think about the consequences of letting exotic plants take over. Regrettably, it is difficult to halt and recover control of the spread of invasive species once it has begun.

    Hand Clearing

    It's possible that manually clearing your land would be the least destructive option, but it would also take the longest. The use of portable devices is highly discerning. Those who wish to build a home or other structure in a forested location but need to reduce the fuel load to prevent catastrophic wildfires may consider this strategy.

    Mulching

    Instead of removing vegetation by removing it and then burning it, a mulcher can be used. Mulching, whether using a disc or drum, allows for selective cutting and processing of vegetation.

    To mulch, you cut down trees and brush and return the organic material to the soil. To discourage the return of invasive plants and encourage the growth of native flora, mulch should be reapplied to the areas from which vegetation was removed. Using a mulcher to remove land reduces the amount of maintenance that must be done later.

    Burn And Pile

    You've probably seen farmers using the pile and burn approach while driving through rural sections of Columbia County or possibly Richmond County. Inexpensive, straightforward, and everlasting best describe it.

    Simply put, you use a skid steer, tractor, or whatever else is necessary to clear land. During this process, you rearrange things into stacks. A controlled burn is then carried out.

    It's true that this is a time-tested practice, but there are some caveats. The first is that the size of the fire will increase dramatically if a lot of material is being burned. In windy, dry areas, this is not preferable.

    Second, it may be challenging to burn if there are many massive tree roots to contend with. This is because most plant roots are sticky, and soil is therefore drawn to them.

    As a third factor, you should remember that the smoke from burning certain plants could be harmful. Poison hemlock, a common name for a hazardous weed, fits this description.

    Pile and burn may seem like a low-cost solution at first, but it may soon escalate into a very expensive one if things get out of hand.

    Simple Steps For Cleaning Up Your Backyard

    Understand The Lay Of The Land

    If you want to find out what kind of cables and pipelines may be flowing beneath your yard, you can call Dial Before You Dig. Your requirement to engage a non-destructive digging expert to perform hydro digging around the utilities or to avoid digging in certain sections of your yard will be determined by the findings of the survey.

    Create A Plan

    Start by counting the number of trees in your yard and taking measurements of the areas you want to clear. You should also consider the width of the machine and whether or not it will fit through your backyard gates. Finally, check with your city hall to see whether or not tree removal requires a permit and whether or not a Vegetation Protection Order applies to your land.

    Removing Structures

    The first step is to demolish any unwanted buildings in the clearing. This includes garages, outbuildings, stables, and anything else that doesn't belong there. The best way to accomplish this is with a bulldozer. It has the ability to exert force by pushing, pulling, and running things over, and will be crucial in many subsequent operations.

    It's recommended to hire a bulldozer unless you'll be using it regularly. Determine the ideal size, weight, and power for the buildings in question. Talk to a sales representative about your needs, and they can advise you on the optimal model and size for your job.

    The clearing process entails removing undersized trees (less than five inches in diameter), shrubs, bushes, and big rocks, as well as thinning the ground vegetation.

    If you do this before you begin chopping down trees, you'll have room to move about and a clear trail to follow. It's crucial to have easy access to the trees you cut down so that you can remove the logs once they've fallen.

    The Clearing - The Dumps And Bumps

    Having completed step one, you have now destroyed all the outbuildings and other useless structures. It's time to get rid of it all. This will provide a clean, clutter-free space in which to proceed with potentially hazardous landscaping elements like trees.

    It is important to remember that while clearing the field, everything protruding above the surface must be eliminated. Obviously, this includes the enormous rocks and boulders you moved and the strewn-about rock piles, but it also includes the rest of the property's debris from your demolition efforts. As soon as all the trash has been removed from the land, it will be nearly level and usable.

    The leased bulldozer is still the most efficient tool for this job. The bulldozer can be used to drag nets or ropes from behind and to remove material for dumping. This is an effective method for extracting heavy rocks from the ground.

    Organise Any Missing Machines And Equipment.

    The iSeekplant database can help you locate an excavator or mini excavator, a woodchipper plant or mulcher or a stump grinder, add-on, and a removal vehicle. It's important to remember that the type of equipment you'll need for land clearing will depend on the size and scope of your job. It's possible, for instance, that an axe, a shovel, and a small excavator are all that's required for the job at hand.

    Fell Your Tree - That Makes You the Feller

    In the forestry industry, the act of chopping down individual trees is referred to as "felling." The individual who does this is dubbed a Feller, which may lead to some amusement among coworkers if you happen to be in a social group. But, keep in mind, you don't want to go crazy. You'll want to hire experts if you're working with trees that are several stories tall or more. Independent attempts have resulted in fatalities before.

    There are several methods for cutting down trees, each of which has pros and cons depending on the quantity and variety of trees you need removed. To begin with, you may hire an excavator equipped with either a tree muncher or a tree saws, depending on the species of trees you're removing. Another option is to use a lopper to remove the tree's limbs before bringing in an axe or chainsaw to bring the tree down to a stump. If the tree is over 5 metres in height or poses a danger to you or your neighbours, it is recommended that you seek the services of a professional tree removalist or lopper.

    The felling stage is where the first big trees get chopped down. After crashing through a few trees, the clouds will part and the fruits of your labour will become apparent. The trunks can be broken into smaller pieces and removed once they are on the ground.

    Don't forget to throw away any stray branches. They can be ground into mulch or burned in a large brush pile.

    Always choose the safer option while chopping down trees. If you are not confident in your ability to use a chainsaw and safely fell trees, you should hire a professional tree service instead of attempting to do so on your own.

    Smaller trees, however, can be cut down fast with the right equipment and a workable space. Work smarter, not harder, if the plot of land in question is of a sizable size. In a short amount of time, they can remove a large area of smaller trees with their machinery. The Disc Mulcher can be a useful addition for your bulldozer. They not only fell the tree, but they promptly ground it up into mulch.

    Remove Tree Stump

    melbourne stump removal

    After the trees have been cut down to the ground, you may either use a stump grinder to get rid of the remaining stump and roots or dig them out by hand.

    With no need for a stump grinder, here's how to get rid of old tree stumps and roots:

    1. Get rid of the surrounding dirt and the stump. To prevent hitting any nearby roots, dig farther away from the stump.
    2. Once the higher root system is exposed, you can start cutting it out by hand using an axe, pruning saw, or cutters.
    3. Start by removing the bottom roots, then the stump, and finally filling in the hole.

    Complete A Thorough Cleaning Of The Area.

    Gather everything debris, including stumps, leaves, fallen branches, and any plants or bushes that may be uprooted easily. Get this stuff out of here and away from the work area!

    There's still work to be done after the trees and undergrowth have been cut down.

    It will be much more presentable than it was before, but there will still be visible evidence of your labour: tree stumps where giant trees were cut down, roots protruding from the ground, large holes where rocks and small trees were removed.

    Gather up all the stray branches and brush and burn them to dispose of them. The exposed roots can then be cut with an axe or hatchet, or simply killed, before being covered up with dirt.

    So that the brush doesn't grow back, you should spray the area with weed killer.

    Stump removal is more complicated and can be accomplished in a number of ways: with a stump grinder, by hand, with chemical treatments, by burning, or by decay.

    One simple method for eliminating tree roots and stumps is to drill holes into them and then fill them with salt. After waiting a few weeks, they will begin cutting away the stump.

    Land Clearing Tips

    Before you start clearing land, you should find out if you need any permits from the authorities. In some areas, land clearance requires licences and there are rules about how to properly dispose of timber. Composting, tree cutting, and other similar practises are governed by legal codes in many jurisdictions. As with any construction project, acquiring the necessary licences and permits is essential. If you remove land without permission in your area, you could face hefty fines and fees from the government for causing harm to the environment.

    Potentially useful timber on your property warrants serious consideration of salvaging as much wood as feasible. The wood could be used again in your project or sold. You can even hire a company to come and remove the wood for you, with the added bonus of getting a cut of the profits.

    Think about how you'll get rid of the trees' roots before you start cutting them down. Stump removal by "pushing" it out of the ground with a bulldozer is a frequent method used after a large tree has been trimmed down to a three-foot stump. If the roots are cut off, the plant won't be able to grow again. If the tree's roots are in the way of your construction, you might want to consider having them removed.

    Conclusion

    Property ownership, especially in rural areas, has some responsibilities, one of which is land clearing. Land that is now unusable because it is rocky or heavily wooded can be made more suitable with some work. Clearing land may be quick and cheap, assuming you have the proper tools. Planting shrubs, bushes, and smaller trees require a spade. A planned burn can quickly cleanse the area.

    Selective cutting and processing of plants are possible using either a disc or drum mulcher. When clearing the ground with a mulcher, less upkeep is required after that. While pile and burn may appear to be an inexpensive option at first, it might quickly become very costly if things spiral out of control. Find out from city hall if you need a permit to cut down trees and if a Vegetation Protection Order is in effect on your property. Get rid of the trash accumulating in your home immediately.

    Objects that stick out from the ground must be taken away. There still needs to be a substitute for a bulldozer for this kind of work. If you're dealing with trees several stories tall, it's best to bring in the pros. To begin, large trees are felled. Once the trunks are on the ground, they can be cut up into manageable chunks and hauled away.

    You may need to remove old tree stumps and roots after the trees have been felled. Think about whether or not you need authorisation from the government before you begin clearing property for building. The government may levy costly fees and fines if you remove land without permission. In many places, laws regulate activities like composting, tree cutting, and others that have similar impacts on the environment.

    Content Summary

    • The freedom to alter one's property as one see fit is a major selling point for home ownership.
    • Clearing land is an integral component of property ownership, especially for properties located outside urban areas.
    • Clearing land can be easy and inexpensive if you have the correct equipment.
    • Determine your motivation for clearing land by hand and whether or not you can do it before you begin.
    • After making the decision to clear the land on your own, the next step is to gather the necessary equipment.
    • There will be holes in the ground that need to be filled with dirt before you can use the area for pasturing animals or harvesting hay.
    • Regarding tree removal, the cut-and-grind method works best for smaller properties.
    • Following that line of thinking, we resort to a second cut-and-grind technique, in which everything is reduced to mulch.
    • What is commonly known as "pushover land clearing" is using heavy, expensive machines to physically remove massive vegetation.
    • You'll need to push over some big trees and bushes using this method.
    • Finally, the bulldozer (or backhoe, if that's what was used for the pushover) fills in the remaining holes.
    • A spade is a tool for planting shrubs, bushes, and smaller trees.
    • The land can be cleared rapidly with a prescribed burn.
    • This method of land removal is efficient.
    • It's possible that manually clearing your land would be the least destructive option, but it would also take the longest.
    • Instead of removing vegetation by removing it and then burning it, a mulcher can be used.
    • To discourage the return of invasive plants and encourage the growth of native flora, mulch should be reapplied to the areas from which vegetation was removed.
    • Using a mulcher to remove land reduces the amount of maintenance that must be done later.
    • Simply put, you use a skid steer, tractor, or whatever else is necessary to clear land.
    • Second, it may be challenging to burn if there are many massive tree roots to contend with.
    • If you want to find out what cables and pipelines may flow beneath your yard, you can call Dial Before You Dig.
    • Start by counting the number of trees in your yard and taking measurements of the areas you want to clear.
    • The first step is to demolish any unwanted buildings in the clearing.
    • Determine the ideal size, weight, and power for the buildings.
    • This will provide a clean, clutter-free space to proceed with potentially hazardous landscaping elements like trees.
    • It is important to remember that while clearing the field, everything protruding above the surface must be eliminated.
    • This includes the enormous rocks and boulders you moved and the strewn-about rock piles, but it also includes the rest of the property's debris from your demolition efforts.
    • As soon as all the trash has been removed from the land, it will be nearly level and usable.
    • It's important to remember that the type of equipment you'll need for land clearing will depend on the size and scope of your job.
    • In the forestry industry, chopping down individual trees is a "feeling."
    • There are several methods for cutting down trees, each of which has pros and cons depending on the quantity and variety of trees you need to be removed.
    • The felling stage is where the first big trees get chopped down.
    • If you need more confidence in your ability to use a chainsaw and safely fell trees, you should hire a professional tree service instead of attempting to do so on your own.
    • After the trees have been cut down to the ground, you may either use a stump grinder to get rid of the remaining stump and roots or dig them out by hand.
    • With no need for a stump grinder, here's how to get rid of old tree stumps and roots: Get rid of the surrounding dirt and the stump.
    • There's still work to be done after the trees and undergrowth have been cut down.
    • So that the brush doesn't grow back, you should spray the area with weed killer.
    • One simple method for eliminating tree roots and stumps is to drill holes into them and then fill them with salt.
    • Before clearing land, you should find out if you need any permits from the authorities.
    • In some areas, land clearance requires licences, and there are rules about how to dispose of timber properly.
    • As with any construction project, acquiring the necessary licences and permits is essential.
    • Potentially useful timber on your property warrants serious consideration of salvaging as much wood as feasible.
    • Think about how you'll get rid of the trees' roots before you start cutting them down.
    • If the tree's roots are in the way of your construction, consider having them removed.

    FAQs About Clear Land

    Ploughing with heavy moldboard or rotary ploughs and disking with heavy braking discs are examples of methods that can be used to break land that has been cleared. The following are some other agricultural methods relevant to land clearing; however, this list needs to be more comprehensive.

    Clearing small trees (with a diameter of fewer than 6 inches) and brush can be accomplished with relative ease using a tractor with 25-35 horsepower; however, if the area to be cleared spans multiple acres and contains trees with medium-to-large diameters, it is recommended that you hire professionals or rent a bulldozer.

    Backhoe arms, when fitted with the appropriate attachments, may perform a wide variety of tasks, including mowing, brush cutting, uprooting trees, and stump grinding, all while moving dirt and other materials.

    In addition, the front bucket of the backhoe loader can be used to load and transport materials like vegetative debris, tree branches, rocks, and more, just like the front bucket of the wheel loader can.

    As a general rule, it takes an experienced professional around two hours and fifty minutes to clear one acre of land.

    Axes and hatchets are two instruments that have been used for field clearance for generations despite their antiquity. When you have a sharp axe, cutting away smaller branches or even bringing down young trees and seedlings is simple. The fact that brush axes don't make the loud noise that chainsaws do is one of the most notable advantages of using these tools.

    Scroll to Top