LAND CLEARING · BRUSH REMOVAL · FORESTRY MULCHING
Land Clearing & Forestry Mulching in the St. Croix Valley
We clear overgrown brush, buckthorn, and small trees with a compact mini excavator and forestry mulcher. It reaches the slopes, tree lines, and tight spaces that bigger machines can’t, and it leaves a clean layer of mulch behind instead of burn piles.
Call 651-300-8324 · Licensed & insured · Free site visits
BEFORE & AFTER
Cleared Right Up to the Treehouse
Before (left) and after (right). Dense brush and saplings mulched down to the ground. The treehouse, its posts, and the mature oaks stayed exactly where they were.
Why We Clear Land With a Mini Excavator
Most land clearing crews run a skid steer with a mulching head. That works on open, flat ground. A lot of the overgrowth in the St. Croix Valley isn’t on open, flat ground. It’s on hillsides, in ravines, along fence lines, and wedged between trees you want to keep. That’s where a mini excavator earns its keep.
Reaches Where Skid Steers Can’t
The boom reaches about 15 feet from where the machine sits. We park on solid ground and clear brush on slopes, down ravines, across ditches, and over obstacles instead of driving into them.
Safer on Slopes
A skid steer has to climb a slope to clear it, which is where traction and tip-over problems start. Our mini excavator stays level at the top or bottom and works the hillside with its arm.
Clears Around What You Keep
The machine rotates a full 360 degrees and places the mulching head exactly where it’s needed. We take out the buckthorn and undergrowth and leave your oaks, landscaping, and structures standing.
Fits Tight Spaces
At under 6 feet wide on rubber tracks, it fits between mature trees, along lot lines, and into backyards that full-size equipment can’t get to.
Easier on Your Property
Rubber tracks spread the machine’s weight, and a short tail swing keeps it from clipping trees and buildings. Because the arm does the reaching, the machine drives over far less of your ground.
Mulch, Pull, and Grade
(Upon Request) Swap the mulcher for a bucket and thumb, and the same machine pulls stumps and root balls, moves logs, and smooths the ground when we’re done. One crew, one trip.
Mini Excavator vs. Skid Steer Mulcher
| The job | Mini excavator | Skid steer mulcher |
|---|---|---|
| Steep slopes and ravines | Works from stable ground with its arm | Has to drive onto the slope |
| Around trees and buildings | Places the head precisely with 360° rotation | Turns the whole machine to reposition |
| Tight access | Under 6 feet wide | Typically wider with a mulcher attached |
| Stumps and roots | Pulls them out with a bucket and thumb | Grinds at ground level |
| Big, open, flat fields | Gets it done | Faster on wide-open ground |
What We Clear
- Buckthorn and invasive brush
- Overgrown fence lines and property lines
- Wooded lots and building sites
- Hillsides, ravines, and ditch banks
- Trails, paths, and hunting lanes
- Brush around sheds, barns, and outbuildings
- Overgrown fields and pastures
- Views and sightlines
Buckthorn Removal in Stillwater & the St. Croix Valley
Buckthorn is one of the most common invasive shrubs in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. It grows into dense thickets, crowds out native plants and young trees, and spreads quickly because birds eat the berries and drop the seeds.
Our forestry mulcher knocks down thick buckthorn in a single pass. For larger stems, the excavator’s bucket and thumb can pull the plant out by the root, which matters because cut buckthorn grows back from roots left in the ground. We’ll walk you through follow-up options before we start.
How It Works
- 01
Free Site Visit
We walk the property with you, mark what stays and what goes, and check slopes, access, and soft ground.
- 02
Clear Quote
You get a written quote before any work starts. No surprises.
- 03
Clearing Day
We mulch the brush, pull stumps where needed, and work carefully around everything you’re keeping.
- 04
Clean Finish
You’re left with open ground covered in natural mulch, ready to enjoy, seed, or build on.
Land Clearing Near You
We clear land for homeowners, acreage owners, and builders across the St. Croix Valley, including:
- Stillwater
- Lake Elmo
- Bayport
- Oak Park Heights
- Mahtomedi
- Grant
- West Lakeland Township
- Afton
- Scandia
- Marine on St. Croix
- May Township
- Houlton, WI
- Hudson, WI
- Somerset, WI
Not on the list? Give us a call. We may still be able to help.
Land Clearing FAQs
How much does land clearing cost?
It depends on how dense the brush is, the size of the trees, the slope, and how easy the site is to reach. We quote every job after a free site visit, so you’ll know the price before we start.
What happens to all the brush?
It’s ground into mulch right where it stood and left as a protective layer that holds the soil in place and breaks down over time. Nothing to haul away and nothing to burn.
Will the machine tear up my yard?
Rubber tracks are easy on the ground, and the arm does the reaching, so the machine drives over far less of your property. On soft ground you may see light track marks that fade quickly.
Can you clear brush on steep slopes?
Usually, yes. That’s the main reason we use a mini excavator. We’ll look at the slope during the site visit and tell you honestly what can be done safely.
When is the best time to clear land?
We clear from spring through late fall. Late fall is ideal for buckthorn, since it stays green after other plants drop their leaves.
Do you work around oak trees?
Yes. Oak wilt spreads most easily when oaks are wounded from April through July, so we avoid damaging oaks during that window and work carefully around their roots.
Ready to Take Back Your Land?
Tell us what’s overgrown and we’ll set up a free site visit.