Land clearing services with no hauling or burning required
Reclaim overgrown land, clear trails, and improve access to your property without the mess of traditional clearing. Our forestry mulching equipment grinds unwanted brush, saplings, and vegetation into natural mulch right where it stands.
For small-scale land clearing projects, our compact tracked skid steer and specialized attachments allow us to work in tight areas where larger machines would be too disruptive; making us ideal for residential properties, camps, and wooded land.
We clear land for:
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Small lots for campsites & cabins
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Widening your yard or creating a new parking area
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Garage & shed sites
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Hunting land
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Walking & hiking paths
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ATV, snowmobile, mountain biking, & XC trail access
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Property boundary access
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Reclaiming an overgrown lot
Services
While we don't do excavation for building lots, logging, or mature tree removal -- Gilman Driveway & Land Services is ideally suited to clear brush & small trees with our compact tracked skid steer & specialized attachments.
In fact, for those having logging & tree removal work done; hiring us to come through after is a perfect 'clean up' solution with our forestry mulcher to grind up stumps and brush piles in-place, while also taking care of removing the remaining brush & smaller trees left standing.
Forestry Mulching vs Brush Cutting
Brush (& Sapling) Clearing
Our brush cutting service provides a practical, cost-effective solution for reclaiming trails, opening views, improving access, and maintaining rural properties for a lower cost than forestry mulching.
Our 7' brush cutter can handle brush, weeds, & saplings up to 3" diameter; mulching them up into pieces.
With less noise and less debris 'flying', brush cutting is often a preferrable option alongside driveways and yard areas.
Finished appearance: after brush cutting, the area will be open, walkable, & drivable. All smaller vegetation will be ground up; however cut stems may be visible, stumps will remain, and larger saplings may leave behind some scattered woody debris.
Forestry Mulching
For more complete removal of medium-sized trees, woody material (including stumps), and brush; forestry mulching offers a solution to efficiently clearing overgrown land and woods.
With dedicated Caterpillar forestry mulching equipment capable of mulching trees up to 8" diameter; we shred everything up in-place (no hauling or brush piles left behind).
Because of the increased equipment maintenance & insurance requirements, forestry mulching comes at a premium price vs. brush cutting services.
Finished appearance: after forestry mulching, all vegetation will be pulverized into the earth. Trees, branches & stumps are mulched, leaving behind a layer of wood chips. Stumps are able to be ground at-or-close-to grade. This service leaves your land with a much cleaner surface.
Forestry Mulching FAQ
Q: What is forestry mulching?
Forestry mulching is a land-clearing method that uses a specialized mulching attachment to grind unwanted trees, brush, and vegetation into a layer of natural mulch. Instead of hauling away debris or creating large brush piles, the material is processed on-site and left behind to help protect the soil.
It is an efficient way to reclaim overgrown areas, reopen trails, improve property access, and manage unwanted vegetation with minimal ground disturbance.
Q: Will there be re-growth after mulching?
Some regrowth is possible, especially from fast-growing hardwood species such as maple, alder, poplar, willow, and other native shrubs.
How much regrowth occurs depends on:
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The type of vegetation present
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The age and density of the growth
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Site conditions
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Whether the area is maintained afterward
Many customers find that even with some regrowth, the property remains dramatically more open and accessible compared to its original condition.
Q: How much can you clear in a day?
Each property is different; the rate of clearing will depend on factors like:
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Tree & brush density
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Type of trees (hardwoods vs softwoods)
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Sizes of trees
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The terrain and slope
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Rocks & other hidden obstacles
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The desired area or width of trails to be cleared
A lightly wooded area with mostly young pines and some understory brush will be cleared much faster than a densely wooded area with a higher percentage of maples & oaks.
Q: Is forestry mulching better than brush cutting?
It honestly depends on the project, and your goals.
Forestry mulching is best for:
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Dense brush
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Hardwood saplings & all trees up to 8" diameter
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Overgrown wooded areas
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Creating new trails
Brush cutting is best for:
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Tall grass & weeds
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Small-medium sized brush and thin saplings
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Maintaining previously cleared areas
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Lower-cost vegetation management
Q: Will forestry mulching completely eliminate brush and trees?
Forestry mulching removes the visible vegetation, but it does not remove the root systems underground. Some tree species and shrubs naturally regrow from existing roots after being cut.
The goal of forestry mulching is to reclaim and improve your land while creating a manageable area that can be maintained over time. Some properties may benefit from occasional maintenance mulching depending on how quickly vegetation returns.
Q: Does forestry mulching remove stumps?
Forestry mulching reduces stumps and woody vegetation down to ground level, but it does not excavate and remove root systems.
If your goal is to create a lawn, building site, or fully cleared area, excavation and stump removal may be a better approach.
Q: What's left behind?
The vegetation processed by the mulcher remains on-site as a natural mulch layer. The amount of mulch left behind depends on the density of the vegetation. Heavily wooded areas with more material will naturally have a thicker mulch layer than lightly overgrown areas.
The mulch helps protect the soil, reduce erosion, and gradually break down over time.
Q: Can forestry mulching create ATV trails?
Yes, forestry mulching is a great option to create or re-open recreation trails. We can create trails for ATVs/UTVs, walking paths, hunting access trails, etc.
Q: Can forestry mulching clear an area that I can then build a garage on, or extend my yard into?
Yes and no. Forestry mulching can be a good start to clearing an area for a future project. However although forestry mulching 'pulverizes' the earth at ground level, some trees and plants have hardy root systems and may still be able to re-grow over time.
For permanent vegetation removal we may recommend excavating out the area to remove roots and stump remnants before installing loam or gravel for your finished surface.
