Reclaim overgrown land, clear trails, and improve access to your property
Our skid steer-powered land clearing equipment bridges the gap between traditional brush hogging and forestry mulching—tackling dense brush, saplings and small trees while grinding up vegetation right in place.
We offer an efficient, cost-effective solution for reclaiming overgrown properties, opening trails, clearing field edges and thinning lightly wooded areas where a brush hog isn’t enough, but a dedicated forestry mulcher isn’t necessary.
With no need to haul away truckloads of brush or create large burn piles, our services are a practical solution for Maine residential properties, camps, wooded land, trails, and fields.
We clear land for:
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Small lots for campsites & cabins
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Widening your yard
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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 & fence line clearing
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Reclaiming an overgrown lot
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Field & pasture reclaimation
What we can clear
While we don't do logging or mature tree removal -- our compact tracked skid steer & specialized attachments are ideally suited to tackle:
Overgrown fields
Dense brush & thickets
Hardwood & softwood saplings
Young pine growth
Small trees, typically up to 6" diameter*
Some 6-9" trees*
Fallen limbs and woody debris
Overgrown trails and access roads
Field edges, fence lines & property boundaries
*Tree size capability depends on species, density, terrain, surrounding obstacles, and site conditions. For properties with a high concentration of larger mature trees we recommend traditional tree removal or dedicated forestry mulching services.
Project Photos
Land Clearing FAQ
Q: What size trees can you clear?
Our equipment is manufacturer-rated to cut & mulch dense brush, saplings and small trees 6" diameter, with the ability to also take down scattered trees up to 9" in diameter.
Our sweet spot is clearing land that may be 70-90% brush, saplings, & young pines, 10-30% small trees, and the occasional 8-10" tree.
Properties with a large percentage of 8"+ trees are generally better suited to traditional tree removal or dedicated forestry equipment.
Q: Is this 'forestry mulching'?
No, however there's considerable overlap in the two services; for many residential properties, trails, overgrown lots, and small-acreage clearing projects, the end goal is the same: reclaiming unusable land without creating large brush piles or hauling all of the vegetation away.
Our heavy-duty skid steer-powered land clearing equipment called a 'Mega Mower' cuts and processes dense brush, saplings, and small trees directly on site.
A dedicated forestry mulcher can grind woody material more finely and is better suited to heavily wooded sites, larger volumes of substantial trees, and extensive stump grinding.
As for the finished results, there is not much of a difference to the appearance of the ground with 1 pass; a course shredded mulch with varying sized pieces is typical of both services. A forestry mulcher can more easily make multiple passes if a finer finish is desired (at a premium price), and can grind stumps better at-grade, while our service will cut stumps close to grade but not flush.
Q: Can you grind stumps?
We can cut tree stumps down close to grade, and our equipment has carbide teeth to aid in grinding up smaller stumps, but we don't market this as 'stump grinding' as we cannot grind up large or hardwood stumps. However we can easily reduce old rotted stumps leftover from past logging.
If your goal is to create a lawn, building site, or fully cleared area -- excavation and stump removal may be a better approach.
Q: Can you create trails?
Yes, our services are a great option to create or re-open recreation trails. We can create trails for ATVs/UTVs, walking paths, hunting access trails, etc.
We can also widen existing trails, and clear overgrowth as a maintenence service.
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
Overgrown trails with a mix of brush & sapling growth will be cleared much faster than a wooded area with a higher percentage of 4-8" trees. Young pines are more quickly shredded than comparable sized maples & oaks.
Q: What's left behind? What will the finished appearance be?
The finished surface will typically be covered with a coarse layer of shredded brush and woody material. The exact texture depends on the vegetation being cleared—lighter brush and saplings break down more readily, while larger trees, especially hardwoods, may leave larger pieces and low-cut stems.
The 'mulch' our brush cutter produces is coarser and more shredded than landscape mulch -- however additional passes can further reduce material. Keep in mind that this is a 'land-clearing finish' rather than a lawn-ready surface, and some low stumps or stem remnants may remain.
Trees 6-9" diameter: our brush cutter can cut down trees of this size, but isn't efficient at mulching them. We typically grind up the branches, then move the larger trunks off to the side, or stacked where you'd like them.
Alternatively, we also offer wood chipping services if a finer mulched finish is desired and you would like all trees up to 9" chipped up.
Q: How does your service compare to bush hogging?
Bush hogging is typically done with a tractor-mounted rotary mower and is best suited for fields, tall grass, weeds, and relatively light brush. Cut material will lay as it's mowed and is not processed further. It’s a great option for routine mowing and maintaining areas that are already fairly open, but most bush hogs aren’t designed for thicker woody growth or larger saplings and trees.
Our equipment is designed for much heavier vegetation, including dense brush, overgrown thickets, woody growth, saplings, young pines, and small trees.
However because our equipment can handle both heavy woody growth and open field vegetation, it can be a great option for properties that have progressed beyond what conventional bush hogging can reasonably handle — such as an old field that has become filled with saplings, an overgrown field edge, or land that hasn't been maintained in years.
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: Can you clear an area that I can then build a garage on, or extend my yard into?
Yes and no. Land clearing can be a good start to preparing an area for a future project. However although vegetation gets eliminated 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.
Because we also provide excavation, grading, gravel installation, and site preparation services, we can help determine what additional work is needed for the finished use.
Q: Is my land a good fit for this service?
In order to operate our skid steer equipment safely, we need accessible and safe terrain that won't put unnecessary risk to our machinery.
Here are some examples of when we may not be the right fit:
- Areas surrounded by rock walls/boulders (unless you have us move the rocks first) or littered with exposed boulders
- Swampy/boggy areas
- Steep slopes
- Very uneven terrain
- Areas accessible only by a bridge not capable of handling the weight of our skid steer + attachment (11,000 lbs)
Additional Services
Pricing
Pricing will depend on factors including the size of the area to be cleared, the terrain & conditions, and the number of (and size of) trees to be removed.
For small areas, we can offer our half-day minimum rate.
Get in touch with some information about your property and we're happy to share pricing info.