When people hear the term “land clearing” or “land clearance”, they usually picture or imagine a loud and messy job, with big piles of cut down trees and ripped up bushes, along with a scraped-up yard that takes months to start looking like it wasn’t run over by several heavy tractors. Without a doubt, this is what clearing looks like in some cases. However, forestry mulching is different, especially if it’s done carefully and with the right equipment.
If you live in Austin, Texas or the surrounding area and you’re looking at an overgrown residential lot or a ranch that’s slowly getting swallowed up by cedar, yaupon, briars, and other trees and bushes, this is where Lone Star Forestry Mulching can help. We provide leading land clearing services in Burnet, Texas, one which offers expert and effective solutions for reclaiming your property from overgrowth.
What forestry mulching actually is in plain English
Forestry mulching is typically carried out with one machine. Brush and small trees are cut down and then ground into mulch there and then on the spot instead of using the old method of pushing everything into piles and then hauling off the debris. The mulched material then becomes a layer of organic mulch on the ground. This is more important than many people might think. What it means is that the soil is better protected after the mulch is left there and moisture stays in the ground longer, rather than being left exposed with bare dirt everywhere after the clearing activity has taken place. This basically means that you can reclaim overgrown areas on your property or farm without turning the whole area into something resembling a construction site.
When it comes to residential properties, the core focus of this work tends to be around things like clearing fence lines or opening up a backyard that’s been taken over by trees and shrubs. For ranch properties, land clearing of this kind is more often about reclaiming additional grazing land, opening up access to roads and trails, or even clearing space for wildlife management.
If you’re interested in learning more about our mulching services or have specific questions relating to your property, contact us at Lone Star Forestry Mulching. In the meantime, here’s our guide to the mulching process and land clearance projects.
Before the work starts
A good Burnet TX forestry mulching project starts before the machine ever even arrives to your property. At Lone Star Forestry Mulching we begin with a free consultation in which we evaluate the project details and walk you through the specifics of how to go about the project you want to accomplish. This is the stage in the process when somebody with a vague idea that they want someone to clear their land turns that idea into an actual plan of action.
Questions need to be asked at this stage: Are you trying to turn the land back into land for pasture again? Are you trying to improve access to the site in advance of a future building project? In terms of the existing growth, do you want to keep the mature oaks and just remove cedar and other trees and bushes, or perhaps there are invasive species creeping in that you want aggressively controlled? Maybe you want to do so without spraying chemicals everywhere, which tends to complicate the process?
This planning stage includes practical stuff that homeowners and new landowners sometimes overlook like the need for wide enough access points for the equipment to get into the site, while everything from the location of septic tanks and water lines also need to be taken into account. The goal is to plan from the start how to bring the project in on time and within budget.
Day one: Another walkthrough
When land clearing projects start in Burnet TX, you need to carry out another walkthrough. You will have already discussed everything during the estimate stage, so this might seem a but counter-intuitive at first, but the circumstances can change between when the quote is initially provided and when the work actually starts. For instance, heavy rain can move the soil or a boundary issue might have arisen with a neighbor who has learned that work in planned.
On residential lots, this is when you should look to re-confirm exactly what is to be removed and what is staying. For example, there could be a cluster of native saplings that you want to keep on the site, or, if you want some privacy from a neighbor’s house you might have decided to leave a small thicket of trees on one side of the property. Small changes like this between the quote stage and the commencement of work are normal, but they need to be addressed on the first day of the actual work.
For ranches and farms this second walkthrough is more often than not about establishing priorities in terms of how the work is carried out. If you have 30 acres of land which you need to have cleared then you might have a specific preference to have the access lanes cleared on the first day, or for a problem area where cattle can’t move through at present to be given precedence. The operator, in conjunction with the client, basically sets the sequence of work at this stage for larger projects so that you don’t end up paying for inefficient methods.
Carefully marking boundaries and trees to be kept
After the walkthrough, the next key stage is to identify the boundaries of the property, where they are not absolutely clear or delineated with fences, and any features that are to be protected or kept. The method can vary, but it can be as simple as flagging the edge of a boundary line or marking specific trees to indicate that these are ones which the landowner wants preserved.
This is also where operating in an environmentally-responsible manner really comes into the equation. For example, when it comes to soil health, you need to identify the good vegetation and mature hardwoods that should be kept at this point. A good provider will also identify trees that stabilize a section of land or provide drainage at this point. No company should just flatten everything because it’s possible to do so; there needs to be a more thoughtful process.
A common example of how this is done in Central Texas concerns cedar. A lot of properties in this part of the Lone Star State are choked with cedar (Ashe juniper) and it cuts off other vegetation and trees from growing, while also using up a ton of water from the surrounding soil. Mulching cedar to relieve pressure on oak trees on your property and to restore ecological balance to the property is what is desired and is fundamentally different from indiscriminately wiping out everything green in the area. These initial steps to mark what is to be kept help make the distinction clear between good trees and bad trees.
The first pass: Opening up access to the site and knocking down the biggest sections
Once the operator starts, things will start to feel like they are moving very fast. The initial goal is always to open up the area being worked on as much as possible at the very start to optimize the ability of the mulching machine to move around by removing the worst obstructions.
On a residential property, this can often mean cutting a pathway through to any fences at the back of the property so the machine can work without constantly having to be re-positioned. This might involve having to knock down some trees or thickets that are blocking visibility.
Conversely, for ranches the space available to work within is usually much wider to begin with, so the first pass will often target roads and also along fence lines at the edge of the property. If power lines need to be cleared these will also be tackled at this early stage, so as to ensure that there is safe access to the site and less risk involved for everyone as the job continues.
Even at this early stage you will start to see what is known as the “mulch blanket”, which is basically the mulch that results from the vegetation being shredded down into a fine substance and deposited on the ground around the site. As the mulch blanket goes down some areas will look darker and thicker than others. This is perfectly normal and is basically just determined by the density of the vegetation being cleared and the volume of mulch.
The second pass
After the first pass, in which the rough clearing occurs at speed, the work slows down a little bit. This isn’t because the machine is struggling or the workers are simply taking it easy; it’s because the focus is now shifting away from removing a huge volume of easily accessible material quickly to dealing with elements of the job that require a bit more finesse.
During this stage the operator is trying to even out the places where the bulk of the material has been cleared and and trying to clean up the edges. This work is what makes the essential difference between turning a space from one that has simply been cleared into one that is now usable. Homeowners will have the use of their backyard restored and ranch owners will have a senderos that is actually a senderos rather than just a scarred piece of soil running through the brush.
Depending on your overall goals in having this work done, this second pass might also be the point at which some more selective clearing is carried out around desirable trees that you want kept. You can open the canopy and arrange to ensure that these trees have good room without damaging roots or disturbing the soil.
What happens with bigger debris and what does not get mulched
It is important to remember that while forestry mulching is incredibly efficient, it is not magic either. There is some material that will be cut down and cleared which may not be suitable to mulch depending on size, the tree or bush species, or even what your end-use plans are. A professional operator will talk you through the vagaries of all of this upfront.
If you have large dead trees on the property they might be unsafe to mulch on site. These trees require a different approach. This might also be the case if you are tearing down old fencing or getting rid of debris or rubbish hidden in the brush. These are more common than you might think on rural tracts of land around Georgetown and throughout the greater Austin area, where, on first glance, you might think that there is just cedar in a bush, but then you find an entire roll of barbed wire has been buried inside in it for years, invisible to the naked eye. This kind of material cannot be safely mulched and has to be disposed of in a different way.
This is why integrity and honest communication with your service provider from the very get-go is very important, as even the best projects will throw up surprises and then need to stay within budget by making sure these surprises are handled quickly and efficiently.
The ground right after mulching
Right after the main clearance work is done, the ground will usually looks like it’s been covered with a natural carpet. This is the mulch layer, which might be somewhat thin or heavier in other areas, depending on how thick the brush was in different parts of the property.
Some people tend to initially worry about the mulch, especially so if they were expecting bare dirt on the ground where the work was carried out. They shouldn’t be concerned; bare dirt is not a good thing in this situation, as exposed soil dries out fast in Texas’ warm climate, while it erodes during storms and turns into a weed problem in the wetter months. Conversely, the mulch created from shredding protects the exposed soil surface and adds organic matter to the soil underneath as it breaks down, helping to keep the moisture in place.
You might also notice at this early stage after the clearance work that the land has undulations in places depending on what was removed and the terrain. That’s usually a good sign, as it indicates that the operator has avoided gouging the ground. The fact that there has been minimal disturbance to the ground and it still has natural bumps and hollows indicates that the job has been done responsibly without taking any shortcuts.
Small adjustments mid-project
In general it is best to try and stick to the initial plan once the work starts, but during most projects there will be something which happens that might require a quick check in between client and contractor.
This is the opportunity for a homeowner or property owner to suggest widening a trail a little bit more or keeping a stretch of brush to screen the road side.
These adjustments are perfectly normal, though best kept to a minimum at the same time. The most important thing is having a team that communicates well and responds effectively, which is exactly the kind of excellent customer service which Lone Star Forestry Mulching provides.
The final clean up
The final clean up on the project is often not what is expected, but it is important. Notably, forestry mulching does not usually involve hauling away large amounts of debris, because the debris becomes mulch, unlike in times gone by when there was trailers of trees and bushes that needed to be hauled away with a job like this. Instead the clean-up job becomes something very different when mulching is involved.
This final clean up is about smoothing out the awkward little bits of work, making sure the access routes are clear and cleaning up around the gates. A lot of this is with an eye to ensuring that six months after the work is undertaken you are not left with random bits of land that look odd.
For on-site preparation jobs this stage can take longer and be more detailed. If you are preparing the site for construction the end of the mulching process may be coordinated with the next phase of the wider project so that the space is ready for staking and layout.
What should you do right after the job?
When the machines have left a lot of people want to jump straight into the next step of whatever work they are carrying out on their property. They plant grass and bring in animals, or start building. Now, sometimes moving on with the next project quickly is fine, but often the best thing to do is to pause and wait for a while.
Give the mulched material time to settle on the soil and enrich it. Walk around the property in the days afterwards and look for anything you want touched up. Make sure any drainage paths are still behaving the way you expect them to and, if you are reclaiming land for agriculture or grazing, talk through the timing and stocking rates with the relevant parties you have hired or someone who knows your area. Mulching opens the land up for better use, but good management will keep it open in the long term.
If invasive species form part of your problem, the post-mulching plan is even more important. One of the great benefits of contracting with Lone Star Forestry Mulching is that we also focus on mitigating the impact of invasive species, without chemicals where possible.
What a good clearing job should look like when it is done
You might ask, what should a good clearing job look like when it is done? You should be able to walk around your property and immediately feel like it is fundamentally arranged better, i.e. it is now a site that you could build on or where the oak trees finally have room to breathe. You should not feel like you traded your land’s health for short-term cleanliness.
Lone Star Forestry Mulching aims to give homes and properties across the greater Austin area (including Georgetown) the most professional service possible in this regard.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is forestry mulching and how does it differ from traditional land clearance?
In short, forestry mulching is a one-machine process where brush and small trees are cut down and then quickly ground into mulch at the same location. The resultant mulch is spread on the ground, leaving a protective organic layer on the soil. Unlike more traditional land clearance methods, which involve carrying away debris or burning it, forestry mulching preserves soil moisture and protects the ground, while also avoiding turning your property into a messy construction site.
What are the benefits of using forestry mulching in Burnet, Texas?
For clearing residential properties in Burnet TX, forestry mulching helps clear fence lines and open up overgrown backyards, while for ranches it helps reclaim grazing land and opens access roads and trails, as well as maintaining utility and boundary lines.
How does Lone Star Forestry Mulching plan a land clearance project before actually starting the work?
Before any machinery comes onto the property, Lone Star Forestry Mulching conducts a free consultation and walks the client through the process to explain what the process is and to understand what your goals are, whether it be reclaiming pasture and improving access for building or controlling invasive species. They also assess practical considerations like equipment access points and planning the project so that it stays on time and within budget.
What happens during the initial day of forestry mulching work?
Day one of the actual project starts with another quick walkthrough to reassess the conditions on the site and any changes that might have occurred because of things like recent extreme weather. This step also involves confirming what vegetation should be preserved versus what should be removed.
How does Lone Star Forestry Mulching protect important trees and environmentally sensitive areas?
After the initial walkthrough boundaries are marked in such a way as to identify specific trees or native vegetation that are to be preserved. This responsible approach helps maintain soil health by protecting mature hardwoods.
What should I expect during the different phases of the forestry mulching process on my property?
The first pass focuses on opening up access to the property by removing major obstructions like thick brush lines or blocked trails. Once the rough clearing creates enough space for the machine to move freely around, the cutting and mulching takes places, ultimately leaving a mulch blanket on the ground that varies in thickness depending on vegetation density. The second pass slows down to refine the clearing with more intentional work tailored to your property’s specific needs.
