Logging Question/Advice

[amscontr]

We have a few acres we'd like to clear.
Instead of sawing a tree and leaving the stump wouldn't it be best to dig around a tree with an excavator and push it over then cut the rootball off?
Then maybe you could at least the rootball to throw in a ditch to prevent erosion etc.?

 

[Icehouse]

Most of our excavation company's do just that, they push the tree over stump and all. Then the tree is bucked into logs or what ever their use could be, then stumps are piled after shaking as much dirt as possible from the roots. Limbs are piled on stumps then they either let pile dry till late fall or they burn right then, depends on fire danger. I wouldn't bury any stumps cause sure as the devil in a couple years you will want to dig there for some reason. Once stump is out of ground get rid of it. We have places around here where you can dump stumps and brush for a fee and the "stump dump" takes care of the disposal in some manner, up to them, some are even ground for "hog fuel". You will be happy the stumps are "gone forever".

 

[amscontr]

Most of our excavation company's do just that, they push the tree over stump and all. Then the tree is bucked into logs or what ever their use could be, then stumps are piled after shaking as much dirt as possible from the roots. Limbs are piled on stumps then they either let pile dry till late fall or they burn right then, depends on fire danger. I wouldn't bury any stumps cause sure as the devil in a couple years you will want to dig there for some reason. Once stump is out of ground get rid of it. We have places around here where you can dump stumps and brush for a fee and the "stump dump" takes care of the disposal in some manner, up to them, some are even ground for "hog fuel". You will be happy the stumps are "gone forever".

Yeah we have a washout to fill in is why I mentioned placing the stumps in the ditch is all. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[DanTheCanadian]

You'd be surprised of the leverage you can get with a excavator pushing up high on a tree. If the tree is small enough you don't normally have to dig around it. I have done this on fence lines before where I was sure there was gonna be fence hardware in the trees.

 

[northmanlogging]

If you plan on pulling stumps anyway then yeah works better... although I wouldn't call it logging more like land clearing... anyway you'll need a full sized excavator to pull it off one of them minis will just lead to frustration.

As far as the stumps go, stream restoration is big business around here and they pay good money for long stumps, couldn't tell you why seems like a short stump would work just as well? They will cut the stumps off at like 30 feet or so, waste of a good log but whatever.

 

[slowp]

What size are these trees? Nobody asked that. Then talk to your equipment operator. They may not be comfy with it. They are the ones taking the risk. You should see some of the trees that 'ologists wanted "pushed over". It wasn't safe and the contractor said no.

Oh oh, you are into deforestation. Other folks and I are replanting where "clearing" took place. It is difficult to get trees growing where a pasture was made.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

From a cutter's standpoint, trees piled across each other and root balls tipping your way are no good. Also wood kicking back toward the excavator/operator. Better to hand fell & buck the trees and leave enough stump so the machine can rip them up afterwards.

 

[1270d]

i have cut plenty for road building, and it seems like a three or four foot stump makes it alot easier for the dozer and hoe guys to pop em out. under 2 ft average hardwood