What usually gets cleared
| Growth | What crews often do |
|---|---|
| Chinese tallow (popcorn trees) | Mulch or cut low; many owners ask about treating stumps to slow regrowth |
| Privet and other thick shrubs | Mulch or cut and haul off |
| Blackberry, briars and vines | Mulch or cut back, then pull vines out of the trees they climb |
| Saplings under big oaks and pines | Selective cutting around marked trees |
| Dead and fallen wood | Grind, pile or haul away |
Machine or hand crew?
Open ground with thick growth is usually fastest with a mulcher. Tight backyards, steep ditch banks, areas close to houses and fences, and spots between trees you want to save often need a hand crew with saws and trimmers. Plenty of jobs use both. Tell companies what's around the area, such as fences, sheds, pools and power lines, so they bring the right setup.
Choices that change the result
- Keep list: the more trees and shrubs you keep, the more hand work is needed.
- Debris: mulched in place, piled, or hauled off.
- Vines in trees: pulling vines out of the canopy is extra work; ask if it's included.
- Regrowth: brush comes back here. Ask what follow-up companies offer, and check with your parish extension office about any treatment plans.
Questions worth asking
- Will this be machine work, hand work or both?
- How will you protect the trees I'm keeping?
- What happens to the brush once it's cut?
- How soon do you expect regrowth, and what do you suggest for it?
Common requests here
Backyards that end in a wall of brush along a coulee or drainage ditch, wooded lots in Central and Greenwell Springs that owners want to open up under the oaks, and rental or inherited land that's sat untouched for years.
Questions people ask
Can you clear right up to my fence?
Usually with hand tools near fences and structures. Point out the fence line and any spots where the machine shouldn't go.
Will the brush grow back?
Some will. Many owners plan a lighter follow-up clearing or regular mowing. Ask companies what they'd suggest for your land.
Is brush clearing cheaper than full land clearing?
Often, because the big trees stay. Keeping many scattered trees can add hand work, though.