There are several ways to clear land. The timber method involves removing trees and hauling them away for processing. The burning method involves burning the trees and brush in a controlled way. Another method is called forestry mulching, which involves grinding and chipping the trees into mulch, which is then spread on-site. Forestry mulching is becoming more common, and it definitely has some distinct advantages. However, you want to weigh the downsides, too, before you arrange for a forestry mulching company to clear your land. Here are the key pros and cons of forestry mulching.

Pro: It's fast.

With forestry mulching, most of the trees and brush are removed with the same piece of equipment. It grabs and chips most small to medium-sized trees. The biggest tree care companies will even bring several of these pieces of equipment so they can clear a plot of land even faster.

Con: It doesn't leave you any firewood.

If you were hoping to get firewood from your cleared land, then forestry mulching may not be the way to go. All the wood is ground up, so you don't have logs to burn. You can ask the land clearing company to separately fell and set aside a couple of trees for you before mulching the rest, but they may or may not be willing to accommodate this request. 

Pro: It nourishes the land.

The mulch made from the ground-up trees is full of nitrogen and other nutrients that future plants need to thrive. So, if you were planning to plant anything on the land, even just grass, forestry mulching allows you to skip the step of fertilizing and enhancing the soil. The mulch will provide nourishment for years as it slowly breaks down.

Con: It requires road access.

The large equipment used to mulch forested land is typically independently driven on roads. If the land you want to be cleared is not easy to access by road, then the land clearing company may not be able to get their big mulchers into the space. You may be better off going with a different land-clearing method, such as burning.

If you have a plot of land that you would like to have cleared, consult with a land-clearing service about your options. In many cases, they will recommend forestry mulching, but it does have some shortcomings and limits that are worth considering before you sign a contract.