I have thick underbrush in a wooded area (about 3 acres) and would like to know the best way to clear it yourself. It is mainly vines & briar bushes.

Thanks for any advice.

-- George Cole (georgemic@att.net), August 20, 2001

Answers

goats, , or,, flamethrower

-- stan (sopal999@yahoo.com), August 20, 2001.

Tractor and a brush-hog and a brave operator there of. Afterwards, brush-hog at least annually to keep the brush from coming back, which it will. Hire someone if you have to, there are always folks in the country that do this for hire.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 20, 2001.

All of the above. Plus for tight areas and trimming where you want to be selective in what you cut a bush scythe.

http://www.scythesupply.com carries heavy bladed scythes for the business of cutting tough vegetation.

Just another good tool in the arsenal.

-- elliot fishbein (ellifish@nemaine.com), August 20, 2001.

They'll all work. So will a brush-cutter head (sort of like a circular saw) on a heavy-duty weed-whacker or whatever your choice of brand name is. Goats have the advantage that they (and not you) keep on working - as things regrow from the roots, or grow anew from seeds, the goats are right there waiting. While things will regrow from roots, if they keep using their reserves to do it, then get chewed (or cut) off again, their reserves will eventually be depleted and they'll die. If you have it all cleaned up, but no resident goats, then the lush new growth can be hit with Roundup or Zero or whatever-brand of glyphosate, whereas you couldn't do that with scrambly woody old growth.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 20, 2001.

I really like the idea of the goat driving the tractor with brush-hog and flame-thrower attached.

-- tomas (bakerzee@hotmail.com), August 20, 2001.