Today marks the spring equinox.
This past week of sunshine has brought bursting buds and blossoms 🌼 The days are getting longer and summer will be here before we know it. During this wonderful transition period out of winter slumber, most of us are spending more time outside and beginning to recognize the deferred maintenance the weather has kept at bay. We see creeping blackberry vines, pesky ladder fuels cropping up, and dense young tree stands forming where open space once was.
It’s never too early to start thinking about maintaining defensible space. These areas generally are around structures and along roadways serving as evacuation routes (including private roads and driveways).
Why is spring the best time of year to masticate?
Spring is the BEST time of year to masticate for several reasons!
Soils are no longer saturated so we can conduct our work with less disturbance and soil compaction.
Diversity is important to us! We leave desirable species undisturbed whenever possible. These are generally less visible when dormant in the winter.
We are most productive and the finished quality will be at its best. Later in the season, dust can slow our progress and requires more time cleaning our equipment.
Once we reach fire season, we will often need to bring water tenders for dust suppression and for peace of mind should there be a small accidental ignition.
What is mastication and is it the right tool for my property?
Mastication, also known as “forestry mulching”, is a method of vegetation management that is generally completed with a skid-steer or excavator machine. A special attachment is able to mulch down smaller trees and brush. This helps to reduce excessive vegetation and ladder fuels in overgrown forests. Our operators target dead and dying trees, vegetation with defects, broken tops, poorly established trees and those in high density areas. On most projects, masticating is more cost-effective than standard hand crews, as more work is done in a shorter amount of time.
Prior to masticating, our arborist surveys the property to ensure any sensitive areas are located and flagged. We help to encourage a forest to be diverse in species, age classes, and structure, while establishing the co-benefit of a fire resilient zone. The result of our work allows increased opportunities of viewing wildlife and vistas, easier walking, and more.
Mastication may be right for you if you have a 1/3 acre or more of suitable land with thick brush and understory growth. Our machines operate best on flat to moderately sloping terrain with few rocks. Two grant opportunities exist for larger land owners looking to improve forest health on their private parcels and mastication is an approved treatment method for both programs.