Several hundred years ago, more than half of the United States was covered in forestland. In order to build the homes, cities, roads, and bridges our society depends on, a significant portion of the land had to be cleared. The US still has over 765 million acres of forestland, but as housing, agriculture, and infrastructure are needed to support our communities, careful land clearing continues to play an important role in the development of these resources.
If you own undeveloped land, you may be wondering about the best way to put it to good use. Maybe you’d like to build a new home or sell it to a commercial developer. Transforming it into farmland or raising animals are also options, too. No matter how you plan to use your land, clearing it first is always an important step that offers many benefits.
Land clearing is the process of removing trees, brush, vegetation, rocks, and other debris from a piece of land to make it suitable for development. The work can be labor intensive, and it requires skills, training, and the right equipment. It’s always important that land clearing is done in a way that limits adverse impacts on the surrounding environment. However, when it’s done correctly, it can have numerous benefits for your property. Here are the top 5 reasons why you should have your land cleared:
1. Land Clearing Increases Usability
If you’re not entirely sure what you’re going to do with your land, clearing it opens up a wide range of options. Unless you plan on using the land for hunting, there isn’t much you can do with uncleared land. Investing in a clearing service will give you many possibilities including:
- Residential Development – If you’d like to start building your future home, you will need to determine what trees, shrubs, and rocks need to be removed. You’ll also need to decide if any grading needs to be done to support construction.
- Commercial Development – Perhaps you’d like to sell your land to a commercial developer. Clearing it will help increase its value and can help generate a higher return.
- Farming – If you’re planning to grow crops, you’ll need to eliminate dozens or hundreds of acres in order to ensure your crops have space to grow and aren’t competing for sunlight.
- Raising Animals – If you’re raising cattle, you’ll need at least two clear acres of pasture for every cow-calf pair to ensure they have adequate space and a healthy grass supply for grazing.
2. Land Clearing Supports Healthy Plant Growth
While it may seem counterintuitive, clearing land actually creates better conditions for plants and trees to grow in the future. By eliminating brush and vegetation, plants will no longer have to compete for sunlight, water, and nutrients. Not to mention clearing land also dramatically improves soil quality. As plants and tree stumps are removed, the soil is loosened, aerated, and evenly redistributed which makes it healthier and better suited for plant growth.
When brush begins to grow too thick, it can create an environment where disease easily spreads from plant to plant. By clearing out the brush, you can help stop disease from spreading out of control and keep plants healthy.
Eliminating brush and vegetation is a common strategy for improving the natural health of the land. In some areas of Florida, property owners will actually set a portion of the land on fire (with professional supervision) in order to eliminate underbrush and set up the land for healthy future growth.
3. Land Clearing Increases Safety
Thick forestland covered in dried brush and dead vegetation can be a major safety risk for areas around the property. For one, the risk of fire is much higher; brush is highly flammable. If lighting strikes or someone loses control of a nearby campfire, it won’t take long for a wildfire to break out and eventually spread to other nearby lots or properties. If your land has a high quantity of dying trees, they could ultimately fall and cause injury or damage to nearby property depending on where they are located.
Heavy uncontrolled vegetation is a significant risk to both people and property and clearing it helps to increase the overall safety of the land.
4. Land Clearing Controls For Pests
Areas of dead, thick brush make the perfect breeding grounds for pests. Disease-carrying mosquitos, wood-destroying insects, and rodents all make their homes in overgrown vegetation. Because these areas tend to harbor water and provide shelter, pests can easily reproduce. As the population grows, these pests can easily make their way to your home or other nearby properties and cause all kinds of problems.
To make things worse – as the pest population grows, so does the population of animals and reptiles that feed on those pests. Snakes, bears, hawks, and other wild animals can easily find food in areas of dense brush. You don’t want to attract larger predators to your property.
Land clearing is a great form of pest control. By eliminating their cover, you can expect to drastically reduce the pest population and its impact on surrounding property.
5. Land Clearing Increases The Value Of The Land
Cleared land is a valuable asset. Eliminating dead vegetation, rotting stumps, and debris can go a long way toward enhancing the overall beauty of the property, which can ultimately attract potential buyers and increase the land’s value.
Cleared land gives potential buyers a blank slate when it comes to usage, and many are willing to pay a premium for it – especially if it’s accessible, healthy, and well-maintained. If you’re planning to sell your land, clearing it is a good first step in order to boost your sale price and maximize your return.
How To Find The Right Land Clearing Contractor
Regardless of what you do with your property, it’s critical for your land to be cleared properly. You don’t want to discover a tree stump or improperly graded land during construction. It’s also highly important the land is cleared in an environmentally responsible way. Otherwise, removing trees and vegetation can result in soil erosion, drainage issues, and water pollution which can be detrimental to the environment.
As a result, finding an experienced contractor makes all the difference. When choosing an outdoor services company to do the work, be sure to take the following steps:
- Check Credentials
Before moving forward, ask about education, training, experience, certifications, and insurance. Make sure you’re working with a company that knows what they’re doing. - Ask For References
Be sure to request a testimonial from a previously satisfied customer. - Interview Them
Ask questions about previous jobs, their proposed approach to the project, the cost, and how long the work will take. - Always Get Multiple Quotes
The best way to ensure you’re receiving a fair bid is to ask for a minimum of three quotes.
What To Expect During The Land Clearing Process
Once you decide on a contractor, the process can begin. Your outdoor services company will work with you to better understand how you intend to use the land, so they’re better able to decide on the right strategy and approach. You can expect the process to take several days or weeks depending on the size of the property, the amount of vegetation, and the level of grading that needs to be performed. Your contractor can also handle the process of getting any permits needed to do the work.
During the project, you can expect heavy machinery on the property and a fair amount of noise. Excavators, bulldozers, hauling trunks, mulchers, and stump grinders will all likely be used to do the work. Once brush, trees, and ground vegetation are removed, your contractor can then begin to fill in holes and level the land as needed.
Once complete, you’ll have clear, level land that is ready to support new development and new plant growth.
How CFB Outdoors Can Help You Clear Your Land
When choosing a land clearing service, you want to work with an experienced company that really knows the unique characteristics of Central Florida. In Florida, it can be illegal to remove certain types of trees or build on certain landscapes, so you want someone in your corner who has experience working in the area.
At CFB Outdoors, we’re one of the area’s most dependable outdoor service companies and we have years of experience when it comes to clearing and grading land. Some of the benefits of partnering with CFB Outdoors include:
- Excellent Customer Service – You’ll have a hard time finding an outdoor service company that offers better customer service. We’re reliable, trustworthy, and we get the job done right. We show up and deliver results as expected.
- We Have The Experience – Our team has been clearing land for a long time, and we know what we’re doing. We were also born and raised in Volusia County so we know the area very well.
- We Own Our Equipment – Clearing land involves a significant amount of machinery, and we own all of our equipment. Therefore, we’re not dependent on rentals or other companies to get the job done, which means we’re fast and adaptable.
- We’re Licensed and Insured – Clearing land can be a dangerous job, but we have all the necessary credentials and insurance to give you peace of mind.
If you’re ready to build on a lot, start a business, or simply increase your property value, contact CFB Outdoors for a land clearing estimate today.