Hugelkultur mound - clearing first?

Hi all!

Quick question. I'm about to begin a rather ambitious project - an 80' long, 4' high berm / hugelkultur mound in an area between a pond and my yard in which to plant growies, but also to act as a windbreak against the prevailing north wind AND to take advantage of the moisture in that area (drainage is very poor...full of standing water in the spring).

My question is this: to what extent should I clear the area before I begin building my mound? At the moment the area is full of shrubs (small willows, dogwood, and other water-loving vegetation) and a couple of very large stumps that have been rotting for at least a decade. Should I clear the area as close to the ground as possible before mounding, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I should clarify that the mound will be nowhere close to the edge of the pond, so erosion is not a concern. Also the 'pond' is essentially just the lowest point in a boggy area, so it's really just standing water - some years it's just about gone at the height of the dry season, but remains wet enough for a healthy population of frogs and mosquitoes . In the spring, that standing water even creeps into the yard.

The decision to clear out plants should depend on how you are going to do the install, on contour to hold the water in place, or falling about 1/2 degree off contour to move the water to the pond.
The first step should be observation of the way the land lays currently so you can make a good decision on how to lay out the berm/hugel mound.
Since this is apparently a "wetland" area, it might be better to create the berm/hugel with moving water to the pond area in mind. This would also be a good time to change this into a true pond by digging it out (the berm/hugel would then be the place to place the removed dirt/soil.

Keep in mind that those water loving plants are there because the conditions are really to their liking so it might be a good thing to leave the ones already established for those times when too much water accumulates.
You can also, during this time, determine if you want to start your hugel/berm with below soil level large logs. Many people find that digging out and laying in large materials works out better than laying the foundation of their hugel at soil level.

Some of the best hugels will meander along at the contour line or off at one end just enough to channel the water towards a holding pond, this is usually done so water slowly moves to the gathering point (pond) so as much water as can will infiltrate into the soil.
A hugel built in swampy land isn't really placed in an area where hugels are normally built, but that doesn't mean they can't work well, it  just means more planning and careful thinking needs to be employed to prevent issues in the future.

If this was my land, I would most likely lay out a string line on both a straight on contour  and another line with that 1/2 degree off contour so I could check flow, water removal from the swampy area.
I would then observe a rain fall or two to help me make the best decision on how to proceed with the earth works.
At that point I would know if I needed to remove all or some of the current plant life for the construction of the berm/hugel and I would also be able to calculate how much wood and soil it would take to accomplish the construction.

Redhawk

Thank you - this is extremely helpful and has given me a lot to think about.

If I move ahead with the project, I certainly will excavate the pond further during the dry season and use that soil as part of the mound.

Your point about the existing vegetation is well taken. I reflect for a long time before making the decision to remove any kind of plants / trees on my land.

Although my area is generally flat (100 acres sloping gradually north down to south, but only by 2 meters total or so), I lack confidence marking true contour with a simple a-frame. The property was a horse ranch as recently as 30 years ago, so the land, though covered with forest and vegetation now, is full of man-made piles and pits that may easily give me a 'false reading' when it comes to marking contour. Does that make sense? I'm considering having an experienced PDC designer come take a look at the area before I move forward.

Thanks again - I will certainly be revisiting your post as I plan what to do.

hau Ken, you can rent a laser level rig for not a lot of money and that will give you perfect contour information (Mark uses one when he is laying out swales for other folks since it is the best way to get that 1/2 degree of fall off of the contour line).