How to Clear Trees from Land

With the emphasis these days on going green, disposable trees make easily recycled trees. Tree disposal, aside from a decorative standpoint, benefit the environment when replanted elsewhere. Trees provide oxygen, and in Florida, trees can be replanted along the ocean dunes, in nature preserves, bird sanctuaries and golf courses.

Use a tree service

Step 1

Call a Florida tree service. Many are able to clear the land before disposing of trees, or a tree service will take the trees already cleared, and for a fee, dispose of them accordingly. The cost of tree disposal ranges on the low end, from $125.00 dollars per tree, to over a thousand on the high end, depending on the company used, the amount of branches, height of tree and if the stump and roots are removed. Some companies charge by hour and by tree.

Step 2

Take trees cleared from land and give them to a recycling service. In Florida, there are many natural land preserves, including sand dunes. Trees protect the beach and provide nesting areas for migrant birds. Recycled trees are most beneficial to wildlife sanctuaries. Contact a wildlife sanctuary and inquire about donating trees. Have the height and type of tree written down. Make an appointment with a non-profit group. Many non-profit environmental groups, such as The Arbor Day Foundation, encourages recycling the tree and may take discarded trees as part of a public service. Check out their website at http://www.arborday.org.

Step 3

Dispose of the tree yourself, if there is no non-profit or recycle center in your town. Get a long ladder, the approximate size of the tree being cut, and put it close to the tree under the branches, making sure the ladder is secure. Take a hand saw or depending on size of tree, a chainsaw, and cut the tree, starting at the top branches. Climb to the top of the ladder, and starting at the top, cut away the outermost branches in small sections, careful not to take away any that are too heavy. Once the larger limbs are cut on one side, position the ladder around the tree to reach the other sides, and proceed. After the limbs are cut away, take the chainsaw and cut at the tree trunk, piece by piece, generally in 14 to 16 inch sections. You will need to rent a stump removal machine, or use a tree service for the rooted stump part.

Step 4

Use a wood chipper to grind the wood down, by aiming the wood chipper away from your house. Take the chainsaw and cut the wood into chunks, if too big to fit through the wood chipper. Place the wood chucks through the wood chipper. Reuse the old tree wood that comes out at the other end of the chipper. Trees made into wood chips can be used for mulch, for use in landscape design, and more. If there is no use for the recycled wood, gather the wood chips and place in a strong, plastic garbage bag and dispose regularly.

Step 5

Contact a local tree hauler. You will need to bind the trees together with twine, or pile them neatly, one on top of the other in a bunch, otherwise they may not take the trees, if scattered about. Leave them at the end of your property, near the curb. A hauler is different from a tree service, for they may not always recycle trees; they simply pick trees up and rid them from the land. General costs for haulers range up to $350.00 for trunk wood. Things You'll Need

• wood chipper
• thirty gallon garbage bags
• large garbage pails
• chain saw
• hand saw
• tall and short ladder

Tips

• If disposing of trees on your property, put the tree out during regular waste pick-up hours, to eliminate the chance of getting a fine.

Warnings

• If you use a tree removal service, make sure they are licensed, in case of accidents, or damage to your home from falling branches. Do NOT handle a chainsaw if you are not able, or never used one before. Only people with experience with hand saws, chain saws and wood chippers should attempt to cut their own trees and grind their own wood.