Innovative Vegetation Management Equipment for Acreage Owners

It’s been said that, left alone, nature would reclaim the earth. If you are an acreage owner, you have seen how easy it is for wild (or even planted) vegetation to start taking over your property. Without proper control, trees, grasses and shrubs would encroach on literally every inch of land and render it virtually uninhabitable. So, it is incumbent on all large lot owners to have some kind of vegetation management system in place.

Until recently, this type of maintenance was very limited or very difficult and expensive, depending on the type and amount of vegetation on the property. However, innovations in vegetation management machinery in recent years have changed all that.

While your job may seem monumental, imagine the level of responsibility that falls on those with hundreds or thousands of acres in their charge. In addition, when high-tension power lines are involved, the responsibility increases exponentially. Local substations are connected nationwide by over 160,000 miles of high-tension power lines.

The routes these lines follow sometimes take them through heavily-wooded areas or spaces dominated by thick shrubbery, grasses, vines and other invasive vegetation. If proper setbacks are not maintained, there is the very real danger that such vegetation will come into contact with powerlines which can, in turn, lead to brush and forest fires as well as extensive power outages.

Though on a much smaller scale, but for similar reasons, managing growth on large-lot properties can and should be an important matter. In addition, there are personal reasons for maintaining growth control, including trying to keep your property more livable and attractive. In this regard, we had the opportunity to talk to Clint Major, the product development coordinator for Loftness, one of the nation’s foremost producers of vegetation management equipment. Here are his thoughts on the matter.

“There are several reasons why large property owners may need to do some vegetation management,” Major told AcreageLife. “Oftentimes, if a person purchases a new piece of property, it may have gone unmanaged for years and has become overgrown with trees, brush and other tough, undesirable vegetation."

"Or they may plan to build a house, shop, or other building and need to clear vegetation from the area before construction starts. A lot of people choose to do this work themselves rather than hiring it out, not only for the cost savings, but also the enjoyment of running equipment."

“Invasive brush and tree species have also become a big problem in many places, taking over pastures and other grassy areas. It’s [also] common to find shelterbelts with dead, fallen trees that haven’t been removed over the years.”

To handle this kind of vegetation control, many large-lot owners maintain at least one piece of heavy-duty machinery like an excavator or skid steer. These machines have several specialized attachments available for them. One example is a mulching head. This is the same kind of machinery that is used by the large, professional outfits for heavy-duty vegetation management work, but on a somewhat smaller scale.

That brings us to the exciting news about recent machinery innovations.

Major explained: “Not all large property owners have a skid steer or excavator at their disposal. But most of them do have a utility tractor. Lately, some of the more professional drum mulchers have been adapted for these utility tractors. That way, large property owners can take advantage of this type of equipment to clean up shelterbelts, remove invasive tree species or perform other types of vegetation management jobs. Unlike brush cutters or rotary mowers that are often used by large property owners, a mulching head can not only take down trees and brush, but also mulch them down to size so the particles decompose faster and look nicer. We’re finding that many people aren’t aware of this attachment option for tractors, and they get excited when they discover it’s available.”

As mentioned, not everyone has or wants heavy equipment, but even relatively small acreage owners likely have a tractor. Really, the tractor is virtually synonymous with farm life.

Since there are several variations available in tractor/attachment setups, Major recommended speaking with an equipment dealer about what would work best for you. Some important things to keep in mind are making sure that the tractor has enough PTO horsepower to run the attachment, using bite-limiting devices to ensure proper performance and choosing the right mulching teeth for your particular situation.

Vegetation management is not only desirable but, in many cases, imperative. With these recent and exciting innovations, the machinery necessary to properly handle such tasks is available to virtually every acreage owner out there.