Forestry Mulching in Abbotsford & Central Wisconsin
Forestry mulching clears brush, saplings, and small trees in a single pass. A tracked machine with a drum mulcher grinds everything where it stands, so there are no burn piles to tend and nothing to haul away. What's left is a layer of mulch that protects the soil while new growth starts.
It's our main work through the winter. Frozen ground carries the machine, wet areas open up, and the cold makes wood easier to break apart. If you're thinking about a food plot, shooting lanes, trails, or a fence line you want back, winter is the time to book it.
ERE Excavation | 233119 Co Rd F, Abbotsford, WI 54405 | (715) 613-0011
What We Can Mulch
Thin Brush & Saplings
Up to about 1.5 inches across. The fastest and least expensive to clear.
Tag Alder & Softwoods
Up to about 4 to 5 inches across. Well within what the mulcher handles every day.
Trees 6 Inches & Larger
We usually take these down selectively with a saw, because that costs everyone less than running big trunks through the mulcher.
Tight Spots & Lighter Material
A brush cutter comes along on every mulching job for areas the mulcher can't maneuver into, up to about 3 inches. It's slower, but it reaches what the mulcher can't.
The Right Tool for Each Tree
Forestry mulching works best on brush, saplings, and small trees. We go over this on site before we start. The goal is the right tool for each tree, not one machine forced to do everything.
What Affects the Price
We price forestry mulching by the job, not by the hour. Mulching varies too much for a flat number, and a few things move the price more than anything else:
- Thickness of the material. An acre of thin brush goes far faster than an acre of 4 to 5 inch trees, and the bigger material is harder on the equipment.
- Ground conditions. A dry, flat area that supports the machine is a very different job from heavily wooded ground with large rock or steep, uneven terrain.
- Distance. Transport from our Abbotsford shop to your property is part of the price.
We'll talk through the area with you first and, for most jobs, walk it before giving you a number.
Why Winter Is the Best Time to Mulch
- Frozen ground holds the machine. Less rutting and less damage to your property than the same job in a wet season.
- Swamps and wet ground open up. Areas that are out of reach in summer can carry a tracked machine once they freeze.
- Cold wood breaks cleaner. Stiff, frozen wood snaps apart instead of bending, so it grinds more easily.
- It's done before spring. The ground is cleared and ready for planting, building, or hunting season.
Winter is our main mulching season, so the earlier you call, the more choice you have on timing.
How Fast Does It Go?
Pace depends mostly on how thick the material is. These are rough numbers, not promises:
- Thin brush and saplings (about ¼ to 1.5 inches across): often 4 to 5 acres in a day.
- Thick stands of 4 to 5 inch trees: closer to half an acre to three-quarters of an acre a day.
Terrain matters too. Dry, flat ground goes faster than rocky or uneven ground where we have to move carefully. Nearly every customer tells us the same thing afterward: they couldn't have cleared that ground by hand in 5, 10, or even 15 years, and we did it in hours or days.
Common Uses
- Food plots, shooting lanes, and hunting trails
- Fence lines and pastures that have grown in
- Building, septic, and driveway sites
- Snowmobile and recreation trails (see Snowmobile Clubs, Parks & Recreation)
- Yearly maintenance mowing on land you've already cleared
For stump removal, brush hogging, and the full range of clearing options, see Land Clearing & Management.
Where We've Mulched
- Abbotsford: shooting lanes through the brush
- Marshfield: land clearing, maintenance mowing, and clearing for a septic mound
- Rib Lake: trails and shooting lanes
- Athens: opening up river views at a park, and cleaning up dead limbs
- Dorchester: widening a field
- Unity: clearing a small section of land and maintaining a ditch
- Phillips: trails
- Medford: yearly maintenance mowing of 10 acres
How It Works
- You call and describe the area: how big it is, what's growing, and what you want it to look like afterward.
- We talk through the job and, for most projects, walk the property.
- You get a price for the job, not an hourly rate.
- We schedule it. In winter, the earlier you call, the more choice you have on timing.
- We fell larger trees selectively, mulch the rest, and leave the site usable.
Forestry Mulching FAQ
What size trees can you mulch?
Mulching works best on brush and trees up to about 4 to 5 inches across. Larger trees, roughly 6 inches and up, we usually fell selectively with a saw, because that's cheaper for you than running them through the mulcher. We'll tell you how we'd handle your site before we start.
Why is winter the best time for forestry mulching?
Frozen ground carries the machine with less rutting, wet areas and swamps that are out of reach in summer become workable, and cold wood is stiffer and breaks apart more cleanly. It's also when we do most of our mulching, so it's a good time to book.
How much does forestry mulching cost?
We price it by the job rather than by the hour, because the work varies so much. The biggest factors are how thick the material is, how dry and workable the ground is, and how far we have to travel. Call and describe your area and we'll talk it through, and for most jobs we'll walk it before giving you a number.
How many acres can you mulch in a day?
It depends mostly on how thick the material is. Thin brush and saplings can run 4 to 5 acres in a day. Thick stands of 4 to 5 inch trees are closer to half an acre to three-quarters of an acre. These are rough numbers, and terrain changes them.
What's left behind after mulching?
A layer of mulch over the cleared ground, with no burn piles and nothing to haul away. Most people leave it as groundcover, which protects the soil while new growth starts.
Can you mulch wet or swampy ground?
In winter, often yes. Once the ground freezes, areas that can't carry a machine in summer can usually be reached. Clearing in or near wetlands can come with permit requirements, so check with your county or the DNR first, and we'll flag it if we see it.
What's the difference between forestry mulching and brush hogging?
Forestry mulching grinds brush and small trees into mulch in place and handles heavier growth. Brush hogging mows lighter brush and grass faster and cheaper, but doesn't handle small trees as well. On a mulching job we bring a brush cutter along for tight spots and material up to about 3 inches.