trail clearing technique and tools

[2manyrocks]

Although my forestry helmet has ear muffs that I use for chainsaw work, I recently picked up these HF silicone ear plugs to use at the dog shelter. https://www.harborfreight.com/reusable-silicone-earplugs-50-pack-58455.html

 

[Milo]

I'm finally working on clearing the last trail of all the blow overs, only the width of the trail not all the trees themselves.

Next is this section. I was embarrassed that I had to lead my mushroom gathering friends through/over this blockage but it was easier than crawling through the dense Laural on either side.

 

[airbiscuit]

Wow, you have your work cut out for you!

 

[Milo]

I do but I've made good progress, airbiscuit.

The wind shear, or mini tornado, occurred early Easter morning and blew or broke well over 100 large trees on the property. I was awakened by intense wind that lasted maybe 5 minutes. It was so loud I couldn't hear the trees snapping or blowing over. I only saw some of what happened the next morning when I looked out the window.

I walked out the driveway crawling over a couple uprooted cherry trees to the little gravel road and while to the right there were only branches and limbs, the road to the left was blocked. I own both sides of the road so I felt it was my responsibility to try to open it so neighbors from that way could get out.

This is the road after I worked on it for a couple hours barely making a dent.

A neighbor family from the other end, not directly affected, showed up asking if they could help. There were 6 of them and they went right to work, he with his saw and his wife and children pulling the cut limbs off to the side. I divided my time between sawing and using the grapple to move the trunks.

After a few more hours we at least got the road cleared wide enough for a car.

I've been working on the trails on and off ever since. All were covered in limbs, most had large trees down as well. The ones leaning over against another tree are the ones that always concern me getting down.

Most that fell across and near the road were a stand of red pine but all the rest are deciduous, mostly cherry, oak, and maple.

I already have more firewood than I have covered places to put it, including stacks of 6-8' logs, so I'm just leaving all the downed trees to nature.

 

[ArlyA]

I do but I've made good progress, airbiscuit.

The wind shear, or mini tornado, occurred early Easter morning and blew or broke well over 100 large trees on the property. I was awakened by intense wind that lasted maybe 5 minutes. It was so loud I couldn't hear the trees snapping or blowing over. I only saw some of what happened the next morning when I looked out the window.

I walked out the driveway crawling over a couple uprooted cherry trees to the little gravel road and while to the right there were only branches and limbs, the road to the left was blocked. I own both sides of the road so I felt it was my responsibility to try to open it so neighbors from that way could get out.

This is the road after I worked on it for a couple hours barely making a dent.
View attachment 4296952

A neighbor family from the other end, not directly affected, showed up asking if they could help. There were 6 of them and they went right to work, he with his saw and his wife and children pulling the cut limbs off to the side. I divided my time between sawing and using the grapple to move the trunks.

After a few more hours we at least got the road cleared wide enough for a car.

View attachment 4296954

I've been working on the trails on and off ever since. All were covered in limbs, most had large trees down as well. The ones leaning over against another tree are the ones that always concern me getting down.

Most that fell across and near the road were a stand of red pine but all the rest are deciduous, mostly cherry, oak, and maple.

I already have more firewood than I have covered places to put it, including stacks of 6-8' logs, so I'm just leaving all the downed trees to nature.

View attachment 4296955
View attachment 4296956

What size tractor you got Milo?

 

[Milo]

It's a 3520 Arly. 2013 model with 37hp, around 3,000# bare weight, probably 4,200#+ with loader, grapple and ballast box.

 

[kenmbz]

We had one of those wind shears a few years back, I could see some of our trees bend almost in half.
We got lucky we only ended up with a small area in our back yard covered in tree parts.
Down the hill a bit, some of the telephone poles got snapped at various heights.
only a 20-30ft path down from our yard to the river.

Nice the neighbors are helping, that's a lot of cleanup.

 

[ArlyA]

It's a 3520 Arly. 2013 model with 37hp, around 3,000# bare weight, probably 4,200#+ with loader, grapple and ballast box.

Your loaders lift ability is about 1000lbs? If so, are you happy with that capacity?

 

[Milo]

Your loaders lift ability is about 1000lbs? If so, are you happy with that capacity?

Yes very happy with what it can lift. IMO any more than it has would be pretty much wasted as it would overwhelm the size and weight of this tractor. For example most mate a 66" bucket to the loader but I have a 72" and it can lift that bucket completely filled with stone, wet clay, etc. Or with the grapple as large a green oak log as the grapple can grab, 9-10 feet in length.

And the overall size is ideal for my use much of which is in the woods. It's a very maneuverable size, much wider and it wouldn't fit. This is an open area of straight trail with just small trees I could cut if needed but other sections are no wider and crooked through mature trees.

I had a very similar sized 2018 Kubota L2501 prior to this and it worked just about as well, I was completely satisfied with it. The only reason I bought this one is I was pricing adding a backhoe to the 2501 when I found that a friend had two of these (3720 & 3520) and was looking to sell this 3520 which also had a backhoe and just 152 hours. It has 10 more hp at the PTO than the L2501 which runs the flail just a little easier through tall weeds.

 

[walhondingMF]

I do but I've made good progress, airbiscuit.

The wind shear, or mini tornado, occurred early Easter morning and blew or broke well over 100 large trees on the property. I was awakened by intense wind that lasted maybe 5 minutes. It was so loud I couldn't hear the trees snapping or blowing over. I only saw some of what happened the next morning when I looked out the window.

I walked out the driveway crawling over a couple uprooted cherry trees to the little gravel road and while to the right there were only branches and limbs, the road to the left was blocked. I own both sides of the road so I felt it was my responsibility to try to open it so neighbors from that way could get out.

This is the road after I worked on it for a couple hours barely making a dent.
View attachment 4296952

A neighbor family from the other end, not directly affected, showed up asking if they could help. There were 6 of them and they went right to work, he with his saw and his wife and children pulling the cut limbs off to the side. I divided my time between sawing and using the grapple to move the trunks.

After a few more hours we at least got the road cleared wide enough for a car.

View attachment 4296954

I've been working on the trails on and off ever since. All were covered in limbs, most had large trees down as well. The ones leaning over against another tree are the ones that always concern me getting down.

Most that fell across and near the road were a stand of red pine but all the rest are deciduous, mostly cherry, oak, and maple.

I already have more firewood than I have covered places to put it, including stacks of 6-8' logs, so I'm just leaving all the downed trees to nature.

View attachment 4296955
View attachment 4296956

All those blow downs are going to make a very diverse habitat. I would imagine the diversity of life you get over the next several years will be fun to watch.

 

[Milo]

All those blow downs are going to make a very diverse habitat. I would imagine the diversity of life you get over the next several years will be fun to watch.

Probably so. Good habitat for small critters and that'll help the larger ones like fox.
I've never burned or mulched limbs and trees. If they fall in an area I keep cleaned up I just put them in piles in the woods or field for habitat to use while they rot.

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

I've got a dozen or so dead ash trees that I've decided to just leave standing until they fall on their own. I figure owls, woodpeckers, possums, squirrels, and other critters will make good use of them and they aren't going to hurt any of my structures when they fall.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Like you, I have plenty of standing dead. I keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't become a hazard. Each heavy wind takes down one or a top, and I move to a big pile. Sure there are critters in there. Luckily, they are in compact areas, so most falls stay in that area.

 

[Milo]

I've got a dozen or so dead ash trees that I've decided to just leave standing until they fall on their own. I figure owls, woodpeckers, possums, squirrels, and other critters will make good use of them and they aren't going to hurt any of my structures when they fall.

Good. Yeah many insects, birds, and others utilize standing dead trees, I just leave'm as well if they don't pose a threat to a structure. Some have been standing for years!

 

[kenmbz]

It is weird how some can stay up for years and some Ash just splinter and fall within a year or so.
I can't use my trails right now with all the dropping branches.
I did cleanup the trail entrance recently where an Ash had fallen right along the path.

 

[walhondingMF]

Probably so. Good habitat for small critters and that'll help the larger ones like fox.
I've never burned or mulched limbs and trees. If they fall in an area I keep cleaned up I just put them in piles in the woods or field for habitat to use while they rot.

I've seen a great increase in those next level predators in my woods now. We've had a good bit of wind fall, dead ash, and me making some small clearings and brush piles. Amazing how fast you can increase your diversity.

 

[Milo]

Yeah for whatever reason Ash trees just fell apart and dropped pretty quickly. Fortunately I didn't have a lot of Ash.
Looks like most of the indigenous species are being killed off, black knot in cherry and fruit trees, elm, walnut, oak wilt.... I have mostly oak, cherry, and maple, with a smaller mix of hickory, birch, aspen, etc.

 

[kenmbz]

Yeah for whatever reason Ash trees just fell apart and dropped pretty quickly. Fortunately I didn't have a lot of Ash.
Looks like most of the indigenous species are being killed off, black knot in cherry and fruit trees, elm, walnut, oak wilt.... I have mostly oak, cherry, and maple, with a smaller mix of hickory, birch, aspen, etc.

Emerald Ash borer. Where I live was an Ash forest so we got hit hard with maybe a third or more of our trees dying off.

 

[Milo]

Emerald Ash borer. Where I live was an Ash forest so we got hit hard with maybe a third or more of our trees dying off.

What's coming up in their place? Hopefully trees and not stilt grass!

 

[kenmbz]

What's coming up in their place? Hopefully trees and not stilt grass!

Right now stiltgrass until I can get all the tree parts moved and the rest come down.
It's a mess.