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Creative pine removal

 
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In order to build on our land the local shire demands we remove the pines from the land first because they are a fire hazard here in Victoria Australia. We have 6.4 acres of Radiata pine. The trees are 100- 300 mm diameter average of 200mm. Apparently too small to mill efficiently. That's about 3500 trees in total. I'm looking for creative and sustainable options for the removal. We have an over supply locally and the lumber and chip prices are low. Any ideas?
 
gardener
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Location: Lower Mainland British Columbia Canada Zone 8a/ Manchester Jamaica
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Round pole raised beds? I don't think i could come up with enough soil to fill the beds with all that pine, but radiatta is a beast so you have to do what you have to do. What kind of equipment are you looking to do the job with? anyone can chop a tree down but how do you move it and how much are you moving. Any use for large logs i've had can't touch the scale your working with. Id say go for hugelkulture but that's an excavator type project to put that much wood that deep underground and in controlled amounts, tis no hand job. Do you have anymore details of what resources you have in abundance? I don't care to just spout off at the mouth of what you should do, if i can suggest something viable based on your details I'd feel like i could be a better help. It's a matter of scale, 100mm i could chop it all down with a brush cutter, 300 mm would take me allot longer with a chainsaw. A dozer laugh's at all of it, but that's not exactly creative, efficient, or dynamic.

 
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Sounds like you could do a lot of different projects with all that wood. I'd probably cut it all down and pile it up to dry. Some could go in hugel beds, some for borders of raised beds, and some would make a nice habitat for wildlife.
The tops of the trees could be used as mulch for paths.
Is fungus an option with that type of tree?
Though it wouldn't last too long, fences might also be a good use for it.
Trellises, bean towers, tomato supports.
Art projects.
Advertise it as "free for the taking" or "barter".
Campfire wood.

Hope that helps.

 
Jeremy Ryan
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Thanks Craig. Yes it will rot about five years as fence posts, too soon. Finding the dirt to cover some of the felled trees as raised beds or Swales is problematic. Does anyone know if clay rich soil slows the decomposition?
 
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At my place, there are so many termites that I don't even have to dig out stumps when I cut down a tree. I cut a pine tree at about chest level and come back a few months later and kick over the stump. That's how quickly they attack a dead stump at my place.
 
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Location: Victoria British Columbia-Canada
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Trees that size may be useful gor home built roof trusses. You may need to buy the poles for the top rafters and the long one that becomes the ceiling, but all of the bracing can be small logs. Wall trusses can also be built.
 
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