Land clearing - what to do with logs and slash?

Started by DutchMo, May 05, 2015, 03:03:37 PM

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DutchMo

The next phase in our land and cabin adventure is clearing a spot for the cabin, including a 30 foot wide electric right-of-way, driveway, and a small meadow in front of the cabin.

The cleared area will be about an acre and a half.  One of the excavators estimated there to be about 150 trees in the area to be cleared.  It is mostly oak and hickory, and most of the trees are smaller (12 inches or so in diameter - the land was logged several years ago).

I was planning to keep all the logs, push the stumps down into a ravine, then buck the branches off.  Small branches would be chipped to eventually cover trails, and large branches and logs would be cut into sections to dry for eventual firewood use.  I may keep some specimens for use as porch posts or something.

Here's my question: Is handling the logs a reasonable task to undertake myself?  Or am I setting myself up for failure, having never tackled a project like this?  I'd be doing this largely by myself with a chainsaw and a pickup - no ATV or tractor yet.  I had planned on renting a wood chipper to take care of the small stuff. 

If you've had similar work done, what did you do with your trees and brush?

FYI I did ask the local conservation dept about selling the trees - they thought the trees were too immature to interest any loggers.

MountainDon

1.   Stumps are easier to remove if you can push the tree over with a machine like a skidsteer with a very strong arm set. Push as high up the trunk as can be. Cut the trunk off and then bury the stumps in a pit. They are hard to burn as all the dirt sticking to the roots sort of insulate the wood.

2.   A big wood chipper can make short work of the branches and even small trees. The mulch can be good to spread around on the ground.

3.   We have burned a whole lot of the slash on our place rather than chip it. In part that has been because we work in small steps and renting a big chipper many times costs too much. We have also given away free firewood. The user gets it free, hauls it themselves and cuts to length and splits themselves.  Surprising how many people don't take up the offer of free firewood when they discover they have some work to do.   

We have done most of our burning in winter with snow on the ground.  We make piles, cover them with tarps, let dry and then burn later when the fire marshall says okay. He's been good with giving permission since he's got to know our burning habits.

4.   We also have done most of the thinning ourselves; the two of us. Because of that and because not many of our trees are large enough to interest a logger we have not kept much to use a timbers or lumber. If there are enough good sized trees some folks have bought their own sawmills; bandsaw type seem popular. But then you need to be able to handle the long log lengths too.  Not for everyone. Perhaps there may be someone in your area with a portable mill who would cut your logs into timbers or other size lumber.

G/L

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


DaveOrr

The trees I have to remove on my property I have been taking down myself.
I pile the slash and then move and burn during the winter. I'm lucky as I can haul it out on the lake and burn it there.
Decent logs are left whole and I move them with the snowmobile in the winter to where I want them. Lesser quality logs are cut for fueling the fire pit.

I'm planning on building some log furniture for my place and will be drying logs for that.

If you pace yourself I don't see an issue doing it yourself. Just don't expect to get it all done in a day.
Another option for the tree stumps is leaving them in the ground and grinding them.
Dave's Arctic Cabin: www.anglersparadise.ca

DutchMo

Good to know. It sounds like my plan is doable.

Burning shouldn't be a problem where we live - it rains plenty even in the summer.  Also, I found out that my next door neighbor is assistant fire chief for the local volunteer department.

I just hate to waste timber that can eventually be used for a wood stove or even construction, but neither do I want to end up with large piles of rotting logs just because I can't process them in time.

flyingvan

Have you considered Hugelkultur?  It's another option for what to do with piles of native logs.  Part of the natural biomass will invlve termites, so keep it far from wooden structures  http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/
Find what you love and let it kill you.


DaveOrr

Keep your logs off the ground and make sure there is space between them to let air circulate and they will dry nicely and not rot.
You can use 2X4's between rows to allow air circulation.
Dave's Arctic Cabin: www.anglersparadise.ca

Don_P

Hickory rots fast, some say its' best and highest use is under a dead pig. I'd firewood it first. white oak is fairly decay resistant so will hold up the longest, red is between the hickory and white oak for durability. If you are going to use any as timbers the quicker you get them sawn the better. If drying for roundwood uses remove the bark as quickly as possible. This is prime hatch time. I sawed a load Sunday and the beetles were swarming over the pile by Monday evening.

DutchMo

Good idea, DaveOrr.  I can probably cut the tops off and stack the logs at least with 2x4 spacers without too much trouble over the next few weeks.

Don_P, thanks for the tip on the hickory.  Eventually I'm planning to buy a hydraulic splitter, so I'll probably cut as many rounds as I can, then if the rest rots, well, flyingvan's suggestion may be the ticket!  Saving some as chips for smoking does sound scrumptious, too.

paul s

Best to check your local laws first, here in North Carolina nothing over 6 inches in diameter can be burned.

if you have  local service of the town or city to haul brush then you many NOT burn at all.  Some towns limit the amount they will haul ever cycle [week or two].

big machines work fast, big track how with thumb digs down one side, then the other side and push tree goes over. then cut tree from stump.  big chippers with winches and power feeds take trees  up to 8  inches in diameter,  well depends on machine.

if hauling to land fill check their rules, ours is no stumps mixed with wood its wood or stumps in the load not both.  a few guys have  trailers set up for stumos as they chard way less for a trailer to dump than a truck.

paul


DutchMo

Thanks, Paul.  That's good advice.

Where I am in unincorporated Crawford County, MO, there aren't any restrictions on burning that I'm aware of. 

I certainly won't be hauling away much - all "yard waste" to include grass, leaves, and branches up to 6 inches in diameter are prohibited from landfills in Missouri.  Quite different than what I grew up with out on the West Coast.  That's why I'm thinking of chipping all the tree tops and branches.  Plus, it will make great cover for trails once I get them cut through the forest.

Exciting news - I just had my third land clearing contractor out to the place to bid on the land clearing work.  Once I get his bid, I'll be selecting my contractor and hopefully I'll have a driveway and field cut before mid summer!