TSI in Pines

[ruffin74]

Looking for some advice on the most economical way to clean up between some pines. Pines are roughly 25 years old and probably in the 60-70 basal feet per acre range. Sweetgums and underbrush hasn’t been managed in several years with sweetgums ranging from 2” at DBH to 6” at DBH. Roughly 20 acres that needs improvement. I know a forestry mulcher followed by fire would be effective but would be very expensive. Just curious if blading rows with a bulldozer or grubbing with an excavator followed by fire could be effective. Also looking at a Brown Tree Cutter behind a Wood Boss type tractor. It doesn’t have to be pretty just cleared so I can run fire through it and winter disk for forb production. There are sections I could spray with imazapyr once it is driveable but can’t spray everything due to some white oaks and swamp chestnuts being mixed in.

Any input would be appreciated.

[scquackaddict]

A drum chop would be good for this assuming there is room enough to maneuver, which at 60 BA there likely is. Follow the drum chopping with a burn. I haven’t priced it in a while but much cheaper than mulching and produces a better site for fire. Mulching isn’t very compatible with fire. The wood chip layer that’s left doesn’t burn well and it hinders resprout of vegetation to carry a fire. If you didn’t have the oaks I’d say aerial application of imazapyr but that will certainly kill any hardwoods in the stand.

[smitch320]

Drum chop