fishinfool
Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2010
- Messages
- 45
I have a landscape company in central california. due to recent fires there has been a demand for brush/fuel clearing in the urban foothills to ruduce fire hazard. Until now I have been using hand crews and chipping bruch onsite. on average, four guys can clear about 1/2 acre per day.
Most of the terrian we are dealing with looks to be accessableto a mid size excavator. biggest problem is ground is littered with sandstone bolders varying from baseball to van size and varying terrain.the vegetation is "chaparal" about 6-8' high, very stiff brush to three" dia.
sage, ceanothis, toyon - regrowth from previous fires, 30 -40 yrs ago.
We are "selective clearing", basically leaving larger bushes 3" - 6" dia, spaced 15 or so feet apart.
My thought was to purchase an excavator (kubota 080?) with a brushing head (RH, Fecon...?) clear the areas that are accessable and hand cut the brush that is not (between boulders, steeps etc...) pile the bruch where it can be accessed with excavator and mulch it in place.
Hitting occasional rocks in this kind of terrain is inevitable due to poor visabillity, rocks are soft though (sandstone)
Resulting mulch must lay down flat so as to be considered a "non-fuel"
Any suggestions/advise on fesabillity, equipment etc.. would be greatly appreciated. Ill try to provide photos of terrain and vegetation if it helps.
Thanks,
Most of the terrian we are dealing with looks to be accessableto a mid size excavator. biggest problem is ground is littered with sandstone bolders varying from baseball to van size and varying terrain.the vegetation is "chaparal" about 6-8' high, very stiff brush to three" dia.
sage, ceanothis, toyon - regrowth from previous fires, 30 -40 yrs ago.
We are "selective clearing", basically leaving larger bushes 3" - 6" dia, spaced 15 or so feet apart.
My thought was to purchase an excavator (kubota 080?) with a brushing head (RH, Fecon...?) clear the areas that are accessable and hand cut the brush that is not (between boulders, steeps etc...) pile the bruch where it can be accessed with excavator and mulch it in place.
Hitting occasional rocks in this kind of terrain is inevitable due to poor visabillity, rocks are soft though (sandstone)
Resulting mulch must lay down flat so as to be considered a "non-fuel"
Any suggestions/advise on fesabillity, equipment etc.. would be greatly appreciated. Ill try to provide photos of terrain and vegetation if it helps.
Thanks,
