The rural towns of Tompkins County are full of land that has been left to grow in. Old pastures in Dryden and Groton fill with brush, hedgerows in Caroline spread into the field, and wooded lots in Danby, Newfield and Enfield get thick with saplings and dead ash. When you want a building site, a trail, a view or simply usable land back, clearing is the first step.
Clearing done well is selective. Jason Tubbs walks the land with you, marks the healthy trees that should stay, and builds a plan around the slope, the water and what you want to do with the space. The plan can leave brush piles for wildlife and send logs and chips to local use instead of a landfill.
Clearing around the trees you want to keep
A good oak, sugar maple or white pine is worth more standing than cleared. We work around keeper trees so their trunks and root zones are protected, and remove the crowding saplings, dead ash and tangled brush around them. On land near Hammond Hill State Forest, which covers 3,697 acres in Caroline and Dryden and was replanted with pine, spruce, larch, maple, cherry, ash and oak, many private lots have a similar mix and plenty of young trees worth saving.
Invasive trees to take out first
Norway maple and black locust are both on the New York State DEC regulated invasive species list. They show up along old fence lines and edges throughout the county, and they shade out native seedlings. If your goal is a healthier woodlot, Jason may recommend clearing these first and leaving native hardwoods in their place.
Slopes, streams and the timing of the work
Many Tompkins properties drop toward small streams that feed the gorges, and hemlocks often dominate those steep slopes. Clearing a bank down to bare soil invites erosion. Jason will usually recommend leaving the root systems and low growth that hold a slope together, and taking only what is dead, dangerous or in the way. If water or wetland is involved, check with your town office about any rules before work begins.
Bats and nesting birds use trees through the warm months, so timing and a quick wildlife check matter. Larger clearing projects often fit best in late fall or winter, when frozen ground also helps protect fields from rutting.
Where cleared material goes
- Chips spread on trails and beds or hauled away as mulch
- Brush piles left at the woods’ edge for rabbits, birds and other wildlife
- Logs cut for your own use or sent to local use as firewood, kept within New York’s 50 mile movement limit for untreated firewood
- Straight logs set aside, when suitable, for building material
Brush & Land Clearing Questions From Tompkins County
My land in Caroline borders the state forest. Can you open a building site and leave the woods around it?
Yes. That is the kind of selective job Jason likes to plan. He will mark the healthy trees around the edge of the site, lay out where the equipment will travel, and clear only what needs to go. Your itemized plan can show a tighter and a wider clearing option so you can choose.
Is there a time of year I should avoid clearing my land?
Spring and early summer are when bats roost and birds nest in trees, so a wildlife check matters before larger clearing in those months. Late fall and winter are often easier on the land too, since frozen ground holds equipment better. Jason will suggest timing that fits your goals.
Can you clear the brush along the creek that runs through my Danby property?
Often yes, with care. Creek banks need roots and low cover to hold soil, so Jason usually plans to remove dead, fallen and invasive growth while leaving the bank stable. Before work starts, check with your town office about any rules for streams or wetlands on your parcel.
Want the full picture? Read our brush & land clearing guide, or see everything we do in Tompkins County.