- Why FSR LLC
- How large of material can you brush?
- What happens to the debris after FSR LLC has completed the site?
- Why should I brush my property. What are the benefits?
- How fast can FSR LLC complete my site?
- Will the brush return?
- Why not use herbicides?
- I have a large tract to clear-cut for commercial value?
- How can you log small diameter material and still make me profit?
- How wet of conditions can you operate in?
- Can you operate in snow?
- As a property classified business owner, how can you increase my bottom line?
- What can you do to reduce the wildfire risks to my property?
- I live up a narrow road that large trucks can not get to.
- A fire is currently threatening my home; is it to late?
- A tree fell on my house during a storm; can FSR LLC help?
- What is an ASV?
- Why not use a DAVCO head?
- Why not use a tractor with a brush hog?
- I have heard of companies using TL150’s with Fecon heads?
- Is it true you can fly your machines to the back country?
- What is the difference between the ASV and the Takeuchi
Why FSR LLC over traditional methods?
FSR LLC does not scrape and pile the brush like traditional methods currently do. Traditional mechanical and hand methods leave the property owner with debris piles that have to be burned or hauled away, at great expense. Soils are compacted, exposed and disturbed causing invasive species such as blackberry, gorse and scotch broom to take over. Large machines such as cats and excavators crush the roots of the desirable vegetation. FSR LLC leaves the site in a park like setting that is ready to landscape or plant immediately after the project is complete. All for less than traditional land clearing and fuels reduction services currently cost
What happens to the debris after FSR LLC has completed the site?
During the project, the brush and trees are mulched into a fine matter that can incorporated into the soil or left as a covering mulch. There is nothing to haul away or burn, saving you hundreds to thousands in disposal fees. For tree thinning operations, there is no slash left behind to hinder foot travel for management activities or increase the fire hazard for the next several years.
Why should I brush the area around my property? What’s the benefit?
Clearing the property around your home has many benefits, some economical, some environmental, some aesthetic and some only the landowner will realize down the road.
Economical: Removing the brush from your property will improve the look of your property for sale. A cleaner property that is open and usable sells faster than than brushed over property that the buyer must cleanup. Brushed property will stop people from dumping illegally, saving the landowner future cleanup costs. Clean property helps reduce or even eliminate destructive wildfires on the property, saving your buildings and crops from total loss. In some cases such as oak Savannah rehabilitation, the under stories can be brushed and burned promoting oak regeneration. Property that is for sale yields higher sale prices and sales faster than brushed over property.
Environmental: Clearing the brush opens up the property creating better wildlife habitat, eradicating invasive species, promotes forest regeneration by removing competing vegetation and increasing sunlight to the forest floor. Clean property also deters vandalism and illegal dumping of trash and other debris.
Aesthetics Brushing your property and removing unwanted trees and brush improves the look of your property. The final result is a property that looks more like a country club, something that you take pride in.
Other benefits: There are to many benefits to list. Whether your goals are economical, environmental or just purely aesthetic, the benefits are go beyond just on desired goal.
What will my property look like after FSR LLC is complete?
There are several degrees to what FSR LLC can do, depending on the clients needs. The most efficient is the leveling of all brush and debris to with a few inches of the ground. The highest level of completion is the complete mulching of debris into the soil, making it ready to plant with desirable species. There will be no dirt piles from scraping or debris piles left behind. The area is left looking like a “park”.
How fast can FSR LLC complete my site?
This all depends on the condition of the site, how big the unwanted vegetation is and how many acres the site contains. Light brush such as blackberries and moderate scotch broom can be completed at a rate of about 1 acre per hour. As brush increases and diameters increase production rates tend to go down. Pre commercial thinning is usually accomplished at a rate of 1/2 acres per hour. Other factors include the number of and spacing of trees to be left and how many buildings and other objects need to be navigated around.
How steep of slopes can you operate on?
Our equipment is rated for 50+% slopes. Although, every piece of property has it’s own unique characteristics that define where we can operate. We have to ask questions like: What would be the environmental damage of operating on the slope? What is the risk to our operators and equipment? Will this increase the chance of confined route soil erosion to the property?. Sometimes we will use utilize good old fashioned hand labor if the environmental and economical conditions warrant it.
I have a large tract to clear-cut for commercial value?
We specialize in small tracts, tracts where ecological and aesthetic conditions warrant sensitive equipment and areas that require a high degree of residual trees be left in good condition. Large tracts requiring clear cutting are best left to experienced and reputable loggers that have better equipment and experience in clear-cut operations. We can assist you in finding a reputable logger by providing a list of qualified and respected companies.
How wet of conditions can you operate in?
Our equipment can handle working in standing water with very little damage to the ground. They are specifically designed with large flotation tracks to stay on top of mud and snow that a walking person would sink in to. With only 3 pound of ground pressure, they are very gentle on the soil.
Can you operate in snow?
Yes. ASV’s were originally designed as a snow machine. Improvements over the years have made it possible to use them in the forestry and construction fields. One service that FSR LLC does provide during the winter is snow removal from sidewalks and driveways using snow blower attachments. For brushing and fuels reduction, the snow allows us to operate on a cushion that further enhances soil protection.
As part of a business, how can FSR LLC improve my bottom line?
How we assist in improving your bottom line depends on what type of business you are in. Some examples of our current clients are:
Developers/Builders: We can clear land for building sites in a matter of hours for most lots. Once we are complete, the lot is ready for you. No piles to burn or haul. Saving you valuable time and money. Also, our methods of lot clearing is recognized by most city permitting departments as more environmentally sensitive and usually sign off on permits faster once they know we are involved.
Realty Agents: Clean property is much more eye catching than a brushed over piece of land. Buyers are more likely to check into a piece of property if it is clear and ready to build upon or just has that kept up appearance. Brushed and cleared property looks bigger and allows potential buyers the opportunity to walk around the property and visualize their new dream home or commercial building.
Industrial timberland owners: You reclaim pieces of property that have been overgrown with invasive species and put it back into commercial production without having to scrape it, and all your top soil off. Stands ready for pre-commercial thinning can be completed faster and more efficiently than by hand and we will not leave piles of deep thinning slash. By mulching the material as we go, we are returning the biomass back to the soil to aid in the residual trees nutrient needs. Reducing under story ladder fuels, fire risk is also greatly reduced. For east side timberland owners, a simple fire break at regular intervals helps reduce catastrophic loss.
Agricultural land owners: Whether it is apple orchards, grapes or hazelnut orchards we can assist you. During the pruning process you spend thousands on handling the cut material. By simply placing the pruned material in the center of the rows, we can go down these rows and mulch the material back into the soil. When it comes time to remove the orchard, we can simply go along the crop rows and mulch the trees or grapes as we go. Saving you thousands in the pulling, piling and burning of the orchard.
Fence builders and Surveyor: Whether it is a line for surveying or installing a fence, we can cut you a path that will save you valuable time. Under most conditions, we can out cut a hand crew 10 to 1.
Resorts, campgrounds and other natural recreation areas: High value property located in forest and other rural areas requires special attention. FSR LLC can reduce forest fuels for fire protection, improve recreation trails, remove hazard trees, construct new trails and many other services. Our equipment is perfect for handling all these tasks. We save you money and time over completing these projects by hand or utilizing large construction equipment.
Insurance companies: When your insured has problems during windstorms, FSR LLC can come in and remove these wind thrown trees. Because we can lift them off buildings and walk them off the landscaped property, we limit the damage claim. Our tree removal costs are generally half the cost of traditional tree removal services.
What can FSR LLC do to reduce the wildfire risks to my property?
FSR LLC can come in around your property and create a safe zone. An area where the fire has no fuel to continue burning towards your property. Typically the fire will reach these safe zones and simply die out or die down enough that a simple garden hose can extinguish it. Placing these around all your buildings or placing fire breaks at regular intervals across large properties can be the difference between a total loss and no damage at all. Reducing your fire risk can reduce your insurance premiums with some insurance companies. There are state and federal grant funds to small landowners to pay for these services. FSR LLC can assist you in obtaining these funds.
I live up a narrow road that large trucks can not get to?
Because FSR LLC moves its equipment with basic 3/4 ton pickups and trailers, we do not need anymore room than the average vehicle. Our machines are light enough and small enough to transport to most locations that regular vehicles can go. We also do not require any permits or pilot vehicles in the process. The operator of the equipment is the one who transports it. This also save you any move in/ out fees generally associated with larger larger equipment.
There is a fire currently threatening my home, is it to late?
Probably not but it does depend on your location. In emergency situations our equipment can be loaded and on the road in just a few minutes. Getting to your location as fast as possible and putting the line around your property. Although the finished job will not look as nice since our main objective is the safety of your property. Our equipment has been proven on the fire line and has had a great success rate in stopping fires.
What is an ASV?
ASV stands for all season vehicle. But it is not like you would imagine. It resembles a cross between a skid steer and a bulldozer. Built in the USA by ASV with an undercarriage built by Caterpillar, they are very tough and durable machines. Small and lightweight but able to perform in rough conditions that a skid steer could not operate and a bulldozer is to large or would do to much damage. They have MTSS rubber track systems that can operate on asphalt and concrete with no damage to the surface. The unique tracks allow us to operate on landscaped areas with very little to no damage in most cases.
A tree fell on my house during a storm, can FSR LLC help?
Yes. Using specialized heads we can walk across your lawn or driveway and literally lift the tree off your house and walk away with it. Without causing further damage to your house or landscape. We then take it to a secure place to be dealt with. Saving you money in home repairs and landscape repairs. FSR LLC maintains relationships with most insurance companies to help assist you during the emergency. FSR LLC can also remove hazard trees , before they fall on your home. Usually for several hundred dollars less than typical tree removal companies.
Will the brush return after FSR LLC is done?
If you do not continue to manage the land in the future, the brush and invasive species will return. There is nothing short of asphalt that will stop it. But the good news is after FSR LLC has completed a site it can be kept up by mowing once each summer. The site can be mowed with a standard riding lawnmower or a small tractor with a simple brush hog on back.
What about herbicides?
Spraying the property is definitely an option that we have in our tool bag. But with current regulations about herbicides getting tougher and the legal liabilities that their use carries, it might not be worth it. Most brush sites would require several treatments to get down through all the layers. And the hardwoods would require hand treatment. Our system gets it the first time, without the wait. Although it can be beneficial in some cases to apply an herbicide after the tract has been cleared. When the property is located near streams, rivers or lakes we strongly suggest that herbicides are not used as they could pose potential problems to fish and waters users downstream.
Why not use a simple DAVCO rotary head?
We tested various heads from around the country with various carriers. We found that the DAVCO head just didn’t do the job to our satisfaction. It is a good head that serves its purpose, but it is limited to 3” diameter on sparse brush and even smaller material on a consistent basis. It left large pieces on the ground that still posed a fire hazard and still required piling and either burning or hauling to get the site ready for planting. And the amount of debris that it tossed through the air was not only a hazard to our operators and staff, but also a hazard to the clients property. We felt these heads were best used for yearly mowing purposes after we complete the site
Why not use a tractor with a brush hog?
Tractors with brush hogs have their purpose. They are best utilized in mowing small materials such as grass or very, very light brush. We see their best use as a maintenance machine for keeping the brush down year to year once we are complete. If FSR LLC feels your project could be completed cheaper by using a small brush hog, we have a list of qualified contractors that we will supply you.
I have heard of TL150’s with Fecon Heads?
While these are good quality machines and have their place, we found them to be extremely heavy. Almost 5000 pounds heavier. They had several drawbacks for us: Our attachment options were quite limited, they did to much damage to the soil, their compaction rates were to high for most applications, the traction they had was not enough to get up most moderate grades without really turning up the soil, they require heavy commercial grade trucks to transport and they have almost 20% less track on the ground for operating on slopes and very wet areas. We felt that these machines were best utilized in the ROW and construction industries, not the forest, rural properties and agricultural industries.
Is it true you can fly your machines to the remote back country for fire fighting?
Yes. We have been working with Columbia Helicopters in doing this. Because our machines are light enough to haul under a Chinook, we can get them into the back country. We have the only machines able to do this. This allows state, federal and tribal entities to utilize us for wildfire control in areas that would normally take days to walk a cat into and where mechanized implementation of line is needed because hand crews would be to slow or not create a wide enough fire line to stop the fire. Taking two machines, one with the brushing head and one with the dozer blade, we can put in a 6’ fire line pretty fast. Another reason for flying the machines is the installation of power lines, in very remote areas where road building costs are very high.
How large of material can you brush?
We can go up to a pretty large diameter, depending on brush species. In most cases we can take down and mulch a 12” tree. For consistent thinning we usually don’t like to push the average diameter more than 8”. In cases where there are lots of larger diameter trees and brush, we will utilize our buncher heads and remove the timber product for sale as dimension wood, firewood or chip wood. We try to utilize as much of the timber as possible, to help you offset some of the cost of the work.
How can you make a profit in logging small diameter material?
We do not need to move much wood to make a profit. Large logging companies need to move anywhere from 8 to 20 truck loads of wood each day to break even. Logging companies have millions of dollars tied up in large expensive equipment, full crews and support operations. In our operation we have an operator, various attachments and one machine . Getting a load or two out a day pays our bills. But as noted in an earlier question, we are not replacing large logging companies that use traditional equipment. On large timber or large clearcuts, they are still the most effective and economical way for you to harvest your timber.
What is the difference between the ASV and the Takeuchi?
The biggest difference is ground pressure. ASV has considerably less ground pressure than the Takeuchi 150. Thus reducing soil compaction and soil disturbance at your site. The second major difference is hydraulics. The ASV is factory designed with the low and high output pumps located in the fluid tank. What this means is if the pumps blow or otherwise spring a leak, no fluid is lost on the ground. Thus no ground contamination at your site. The Takeuchi requires an after market pump to run the Fecon heads. This pump is added on outside of the fluid tank. If it blows or springs a leak the fluid goes directly to the ground. Other differences is traction, the ASV can go more places and on steeper slopes than the Takeuchi. Power between the units is pretty much identical with both being able to haul about the same loads when moving logs. One significant difference that we found is the assortment of attachments. We have over 300 attachments we can operate on the ASV. Due to arm and track design, the Takeuchi is limited to a select few.
