Clear cutting half arsed, why?

[4570Man]

The cost of cleaning up a mess like that is substantial. That’s the main reason people leave it like that. It doesn’t take that long for the tops to rot down and the brush to grow back enough to hide most of it.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’d be at ~20 grand+ to remove that pile in MY area. Your area could be better or worse depending on how far the shavings mill or mulch mill is that takes junk wood.

I’m doing a job exactly like that right now.

 

[4570Man]

I’d be at ~20 grand+ to remove that pile in MY area. Your area could be better or worse depending on how far the shavings mill or mulch mill is that takes junk wood.

I’m doing a job exactly like that right now.

I’ve been messing around with cleaning up a 25 acre logging job. The loggers used the slash to make skidder roads and mashed tons of slash in the ground. It’s proved to be extremely difficult to do anything with. It’s hard enough to get all the wood pulled out of the ground and once you do it’s hard if not impossible to burn because it’s so dirty. Trucking it off site is out of the question. I’ve about decided to let nature take it’s course at this point.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’ve been messing around with cleaning up a 25 acre logging job. The loggers used the slash to make skidder roads and mashed tons of slash in the ground. It’s proved to be extremely difficult to do anything with. It’s hard enough to get all the wood pulled out of the ground and once you do it’s hard if not impossible to burn because it’s so dirty. Truck is it off site is out of the question. I’ve about decided to let nature take it’s course at this point.

Ripper Tooth on back of dozer?

 

[4570Man]

Ripper Tooth on back of dozer?

I think I’d have better luck with a rake on the front of the dozer. I’ve got a D5 and a D3. Getting a rake on one or both of them is on my to do list. I bought a 955 loader with a brush rake but when it got delivered the rake didn’t fit. I didn’t like the 955 anyway so rather then mess with refitting it I just sold it. The other problem is the ground is so rough I can’t even drive the dozer through it. I’m going to have to go through with an excavator and pull all the stumps and pile the biggest piece of slash before the dozer can do anything.

 

[garry1p]

He may be planning to plant pine trees, I don't know about today but several years ago I had 3,000 pines planted by a forestry service (10 Latinos 1 1/2 days) for less than $300. Then again he may just let nature take its course and 15/20 years it will grow back.

 

[CalG]

I’ve been messing around with cleaning up a 25 acre logging job. The loggers used the slash to make skidder roads and mashed tons of slash in the ground. It’s proved to be extremely difficult to do anything with. It’s hard enough to get all the wood pulled out of the ground and once you do it’s hard if not impossible to burn because it’s so dirty. Truck is it off site is out of the question. I’ve about decided to let nature take it’s course at this point.

There is a several hundred acre tract near me that was treated the same, What were those roads called? Corduroy?

The owner that contracted the cut expressed his disappointment with the results, but welcomes my recreational use of the area. It's tough going on the mountain bicycle, not bad walking, but great fun on snow shoes, even if a few steep spots. The deer LOVE it!

 

[Jstpssng]

While it's ugly the pile will rot down. Not knowing anything about the landowner it's hard to say what their plans are. I know there is a LOT of commercial land down there, it could be that the owner is going to plant. People who own 50 or 100 acres look at it differently than somebody who owns thousands, and have it strictly to grow and cut wood.
I would have liked to see it spread back out to rot down faster but if they do intend to plant, debris is a nightmare.
We don't plant up here, it's much easier to get them to come back naturally.

 

[jyoutz]

Your land, you get to do with it what you want, I get it...

That said, this has been bugging me. See images below.

This has been this way for over a year now.

You want to sell wood off your property, I get it. That said, why would you have it look like a nuclear blast and looking like crap after the company took all the wood they wanted and just left the "scraps" sitting on the property?

I'm guessing you get less back if they actually have to pull stumps and take the wood out, but wouldn't the property value increase proportionately if it was ready to build on? As is looking like crap, it's not like you're going to do anything with the land.

If it were my land, it would just drive me bat crap crazy looking like a dump.


View attachment 848187View attachment 848188

This type of outcome is common when a land owner sells timber without a forester developing a forest management plan and timber sale contract specs. This is probably the outcome of a standard logger spec sale contract. Best advice is to hire a consulting forester to assist with timber management issues and sales, or at least contact your state forestry office. Many states have best management practices requirements for private land timber sales, but many don’t. However, like Jstpassng said, this project may not be complete. There may be reforestation plans in the near future. In the Rocky Mountain west, we would either lop and scatter and broadcast burn the slash, or we would make smaller piles and burn them in the winter.

 

[Sigarms]

I’d be at ~20 grand+ to remove that pile in MY area. Your area could be better or worse depending on how far the shavings mill or mulch mill is that takes junk wood.

I’m doing a job exactly like that right now.

Then the question becomes if it costing 20k to clear it up, what was the profit for the timber?

I don't know, but I would think the timber sale would exceed the clearing up process?

Again, never "cleared" a buttload of trees off any property, but I would think if the known goal was to clear the land after the removal of the timber, it would be easier while you're actually clearing the timber and not after the fact. Don't know what I'm talking about, thus the stupid questions.

Again, you're property, you have the right to with it what you want, I understand that.

 

[Hay Dude]

Then the question becomes if it costing 20k to clear it up, what was the profit for the timber?

I don't know, but I would think the timber sale would exceed the clearing up process?

Not if it’s pine, or gnarly wood. Other woods don’t bring much money. And remember, that’s IF you can find a buyer. Also, how much of it can you sell? Might just be a little bit at a time. Then the pile must be stacked & maintained. Most of the time, it’s not as easy as selling it by making a phone call. I have straight Cherry logs for sale right now for dirt cheap and no takers.

Again, never "cleared" a buttload of trees off any property, but I would think if the known goal was to clear the land after the removal of the timber, it would be easier while you're actually clearing the timber and not after the fact. Don't know what I'm talking about, thus the stupid questions.

Again, you're property, you have the right to with it what you want, I understand that.

Maybe the intention is to let the wood set a while, then burn. Maybe there’s a wood pulp company that wants it, but hasn’t gotten there to get it yet.

Your best bet is to go talk to the owner and ask. Maybe that’ll calm you down and give you some assurance.

 

[jyoutz]

Then the question becomes if it costing 20k to clear it up, what was the profit for the timber?

I don't know, but I would think the timber sale would exceed the clearing up process?

Again, never "cleared" a buttload of trees off any property, but I would think if the known goal was to clear the land after the removal of the timber, it would be easier while you're actually clearing the timber and not after the fact. Don't know what I'm talking about, thus the stupid questions.

Again, you're property, you have the right to with it what you want, I understand that.

Typically timber sale contracts specify that slash treatment (whatever is done) is done by the logger in conjunction with timber removal. They have the appropriate equipment to get this done right and efficiently. There is a slightly reduced stumpage value for the timber to allow for slash treatment service work. But those provisions are what foresters will insert into contracts. If a logger hands a landowner a sale contract to sign, those provisions are frequently omitted.

 

[deezler]

Then the question becomes if it costing 20k to clear it up, what was the profit for the timber?

I don't know, but I would think the timber sale would exceed the clearing up process?

Again, never "cleared" a buttload of trees off any property, but I would think if the known goal was to clear the land ...

My 10 cents says that wasn't the goal. The goal was probably to extract maximum cash from an inherited, or long-owned piece of timbered land, with no care to the effects on nature, future forest quality/management, or especially not what some random dude driving by thinks it looks like.

 

[forgeblast]

It was probably high graded and they took the best and left the worse. Instead of doing a select cut and leaving trees to provide good genetics. Sadly if you do not higher a forester that is what often happens.

 

[oosik]

Robert bring up the option of a double wide and meth lab( post # 27 ). I grin, smile - even chuckle.

Right across the county road from my driveway entrance - a 20 acre parcel was for sale. Initially purchased by three young guys. They proved to be real low life types.

It became a tent city and meth manufacturing facility.

Lo and behold. After six months of this crap - the entire facility burned to the ground. The three "gentlemen" vanished - never to be seen again.

A rather tough way to clear half of a 20 acre parcel.

Ashes to ashes.............

 

[Sigarms]

My 10 cents says that wasn't the goal. The goal was probably to extract maximum cash from an inherited, or long-owned piece of timbered land, with no care to the effects on nature, future forest quality/management, or especially not what some random dude driving by thinks it looks like.

I don't know the story, but to some extent I agree with your assesment.

There is this thing called "checks and balances" that goes back to working a basic budget.

I bleieve I've alluded to this in my past posts.

 

[Sigarms]

It was probably high graded and they took the best and left the worse. Instead of doing a select cut and leaving trees to provide good genetics. Sadly if you do not higher a forester that is what often happens.

That makes sense. Someone comes in, offers you the best bang for the buck on the money you can make on the trees taken down and you run with it.

Although I can be lazy at times, if you're prepared to do something, do it right the first time is something I've always held myself to.

That said, since I have no clue what I'm talking about, perhaps in 15 years after a clear cut, everything will look "fine".

I honestly don't know.

 

[newbury]

While it's ugly the pile will rot down.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.
On my 70 acre parcel I'm about the only "eyes beholden".

 

[Sigarms]

Not if it’s pine, or gnarly wood. Other woods don’t bring much money. And remember, that’s IF you can find a buyer. Also, how much of it can you sell? Might just be a little bit at a time. Then the pile must be stacked & maintained. Most of the time, it’s not as easy as selling it by making a phone call. I have straight Cherry logs for sale right now for dirt cheap and no takers.


Maybe the intention is to let the wood set a while, then burn. Maybe there’s a wood pulp company that wants it, but hasn’t gotten there to get it yet.

Your best bet is to go talk to the owner and ask. Maybe that’ll calm you down and give you some assurance.

Your comments make complete sense.

If cut timber doesn't bring in much money, not certain why you'd clear it to begin with.

In complete honesty, dosen't bug me to much, but thought it easier to ask here for guys familiar with this practice. Not certain who owns the land, not worth my time to look up tax records and then find the owner on my end. As mentioned, it's his property, his to do with.

See below. As it turns out this, is a guy interested in cutting some trees down on my property. Generally this is the way I work with people...Reality is if he meets my expectations on clearing out some trees and he keeps the profits and doesn't charge me, for myself, it's a "win win".

Communication is the key IMO

 

[Sigarms]

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.

You're absolutely right.

5 cars jacked up on cinder blocks rusting out on your front lawn may not look nice to me, but if they're yours on your property and you're fine with it, who really cares?

That said, one could argue one has no money to take care of their issues, but when it comes to owning a butt load of land, if you own it and you need to sell timber to makes ends meet money wise, I'd respectfully argue that sooner or later you'll need to sell some of the land to someone who can afford it.