Types of Land Clearing Machines Used on Large Acreage Projects

Key Takeaways:

• Before picking a machine for your land clearing job, it’s important to look at the land itself first. 

• Forestry mulchers, excavators, and dozers are often cited as the best equipment for clearing land.

• However, heavy-duty land clearing equipment isn’t always the right choice. Sometimes, smaller skid steers or compact track loaders are better for the task at hand. 

You don't clear 80 acres with one piece of equipment and a wish.

One part of a large piece of property might be full of saplings and cedar. Another might have tons of large trees spread across it. Some properties might just need a new access point so crews can get in for maintenance. 

People often ask us what machine is used to clear land on a large project, and the honest answer is several of them. The important thing is using the right land clearing machines in the right order and for the right task. 

The machine you choose will impact how quickly you can get the job done, how easy cleanup is, and how much reworking (if any) the site needs later on. If a crew uses the wrong tool, they might still be able to get the job done, but it also might take longer and leave the property in worse shape than it needed to be.

Look at the Land First

A lot of landowners ask us about the best equipment for clearing land before anything else.

But we always tell them that the better thing to ask is what’s the best land clearing machine for clearing what’s actually on the property. 

Brush-heavy acreage is going to need an entirely different approach than a large tract with old stumps and deep root systems. A site right next to a road, with fencing, or with building pads to prep for future construction, also has unique needs. 

Land clearing work requires task-based thinking. There’s no one “best land clearing machine” category. 

So, before you get hung up on brand names, horsepower, size, or features, sort out the work into a few different categories to figure out which piece of land clearing machinery will do you right: 

• Thick brush and undergrowth

• Scattered or mature trees

• Roots and stumps

• Rough shaping or pushing

• Cleanup work

With that in mind, let’s look at a few pieces of popular heavy-duty land clearing equipment.

Forestry Mulchers - Best for Brush-Heavy Ground 

If your property is loaded with underbrush, saplings, cedar pockets, or long runs of woody growth, mulchers can get the job done beautifully. 

These land clearing machines are made to cut and grind material in place, which can be very beneficial on larger acreage. Rather than having to pile up cut debris and haul it off-site or burn it, it’s redistributed back into the ground to add another layer of soil. 

There are several different variables to consider when choosing the right type of land clearing machine for forestry mulching. A few of the most important are how fast it works, how it leaves the land, and what size material the head handles best. 

There are also a few different types of mulchers: 

• Deck mulchers: Good for speedy clearing. These work best for lighter vegetation or dense undergrowth. 

• Disc mulchers: Best for processing standing timber, though they leave a coarser finish.

• Drum mulchers: The most versatile of the three. They produce a much more even finish and are particularly well-suited to land with different types of material. 

If the goal is to knock out a bunch of brush as quickly as possible, a deck mulcher is the clear winner. If your site needs a cleaner finish because you’re thinking of using it for pasture or as an access route, a drum mulcher might be the best. 

Overall, a mulcher is often the best equipment for clearing land when you’re dealing with dense vegetation, and you want to protect the soil. 

Excavators - Good for Bigger, Uglier Jobs

If you have more of a removal issue than a brush issue, excavator land clearing is the right choice. 

Excavators are great for digging, uprooting trees, moving boulders, and getting rid of large pieces of earth for site development. For hard-to-reach areas, these land clearing machines also come with cutter attachments.

Let's say your property is made up of scattered hardwoods and old root balls with tons of underbrush and a few low pockets that a mulcher isn't able to cleanly solve in a single pass. An excavator will be able to pull out those trees, work around old trunks and stumps, and get rid of root-heavy spots without completely tearing apart the site.

If you're trying to clear brush alongside the edge of a creek or pond, having an attachment adds serious value. 

Just note that clearing brush with an excavator might take more time than a mulcher, depending on the situation. 

Dozers - Pushing, Shaping, and Rough Work

Dozers are arguably one of the most well-known land clearing machines, which is probably why most people think they're the default answer for every land clearing job. But of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

A dozer isn’t going to be able to do what a forestry mulcher or excavator does, but when it comes to pushing, leveling, rough grading, or breaking through heavily compacted soil, it’s one of the best pieces of heavy-duty land clearing equipment there is. We mainly use dozers for breaking through hard surfaces or reshaping sites after getting through brush and trees.

If you're working on a site that needs a road pushed in, rough access established, or debris windrowed after heavier land clearing, it’s one of the best pieces of land clearing machinery. 

Do note that clearing brush with a dozer alone is a pretty blunt approach. It works, but it can be a lot rougher on a site than mulching and it’s nowhere near as precise as excavator work, especially if you're working around a ton of standing trees or on a narrower site. 

Skid Steers and Compact Track Loaders

While big iron may get most of the attention, it isn’t always the heavy-duty land clearing equipment that’s necessary for the task at hand. 

Some of the best equipment for clearing land is the most specific. 

A skid steer or compact track loader can be modified with rotary cutters to get through heavy brush, or be used with mulching heads for underbrush and woody material. You can even add a stump shredder for follow-up work. 

Don’t underestimate the little guys.

On a lot of our large-scale projects, these little land clearing machines handle the edge work, getting rid of debris, creating access and tighter spaces, or just getting rid of any leftover pieces that the larger pieces of equipment didn't get. 

Choosing the Best Land Clearing Machine for the Job

Big clearing jobs are machine-matching jobs. 

Before we ever pick a piece of equipment, we make sure we have a good understanding of what the land looks like and what the ultimate goal is. Brush, trees, roots, slope, access, and intended use are all variables in the type of heavy-duty land clearing equipment we choose. 

If you're looking at a large property and trying to make sense of the work ahead, we can help. 

Get in touch with our team at 5K Land Management to learn more about our land clearing services or request a free quote.