201 - Clearing

201 Clearing

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Definitions of Terms

Deciduous Tree: A deciduous tree is a type of tree that sheds its leaves annually as part of its natural growth cycle. Deciduous trees typically lose their leaves in the fall or autumn and remain leafless during the winter months. Common examples of deciduous trees include oak, maple, birch, and beech.

Drip Line: The drip line of a tree refers to the outermost circumference or boundary of the tree's canopy, where rainwater drips off the outermost branches and foliage. It represents the area where water is most likely to reach the ground and influences the extent of the tree's root system.

Easement: An easement is a legal right granted to an individual or entity to use or access a specific portion of another person's property for a specific purpose. Easements are often established to provide access to utility companies for maintenance or installation of utility lines, or for other purposes such as ingress and egress.

Growth Preventative Material: Growth preventative material refers to substances or treatments applied to vegetation or surfaces to inhibit or prevent the growth of unwanted plants or vegetation. These materials may include herbicides, mulches, or physical barriers designed to suppress plant growth and maintain desired landscaping or land use.

Peat: Peat is a type of organic soil material that forms in wetlands, bogs, fens, and marshes through the partial decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic conditions.

Shrub: A shrub is a small- to medium-sized woody plant characterized by multiple stems or branches arising from the base of the plant. Shrubs are generally shorter in height than trees and often have dense foliage or clusters of flowers.

Stub: A stub is the bottom portion of a tree remaining after it has been cut down; it consists of the stump left in the ground and a portion of the trunk. The trunk section is usually greater than a couple feet in length.

Stump Grinding: Stump grinding is a method used to remove tree stumps from the ground by grinding them into smaller wood chips or sawdust using a specialized stump grinder machine. This process effectively eliminates the visible portion of the stump, allowing for smoother reclamation of the area for landscaping or construction purposes.

Stump: A stump is the base or remaining portion of a tree trunk left in the ground after a tree has been cut down or removed. The stump generally does not extend more than a couple feet above ground level.

Tree: A tree is a tall, perennial woody plant characterized by a single main trunk or stem, with branches and foliage extending from the trunk.

Vegetation: Vegetation refers to all plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, and other forms of plant life, growing in a particular area or ecosystem. Vegetation plays essential roles in regulating climate, preventing soil erosion, supporting wildlife habitats, and contributing to the overall health and biodiversity of ecosystems.

General Overview

Clearing is the process of removing and disposing of materials such as trees, bushes, shrubs, stumps, roots, grasses, weeds, and organics to create access for equipment delivery, movement, and any other construction activities to occur throughout the site. This process is a critical first step in preparing the construction site for the smooth operation of construction personnel, materials storage, and machinery for project delivery. This work involves removals, clearing for fence, selective thinning, and if needed, application and placement of growth preventative material to prevent the regrowth of unwanted vegetation in specific areas.

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MATERIALS

Materials involved in the clearing process primarily include:

• Growth preventative material

Herbicides must be made of environmentally safe ingredients and approved by regulatory bodies. The person applying the material must be certified through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and provide said certification to the Engineer before application of the material. Refer to Subsection 917.16 of the Standard Specifications for Construction for details on required ingredients and compounds for upland, wetland, or aquatic locations.

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EQUIPMENT

The equipment required for clearing varies based on the scale and nature of the project, some commonly used equipment includes:

• Chain saw
• Hand tool
• Excavator
• Backhoe
• Bulldozer
• Mulchers and chippers
• Tools for the application of growth preventative materials
• Skid steer
• Stump grinder
• Forestry equipment

Pictures of Equipment

Shredder Mulching Trees that were Cut Down	Skid Steer with Brush Mower Clearing Bushes and Tall Grass
Stump Grinder	Wood Chipper

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PRECONSTRUCTION

Clearing limits and restrictions due to environmentally sensitive areas are typically discussed at the preconstruction meeting; alternatively, they can be discussed at a site walkthrough. Topics to discuss prior to construction include:

• Verification that the limits have been staked prior to the start of work, including right-of-way (ROW) and easements.
• Special provision requirements.
• Methods of clearing to be used.
• Staging areas.
• Stockpile of materials and methods to dispose of materials.
• Ownership of salvaged timber.
• Protection of areas not called out to be cleared or selectively thinned.
• Maintenance of traffic for work activities

Clearing limits should be discussed during an onsite walkthrough as it is common to have trees or stumps outside the clearing limits that are also called out to be removed.

Most projects have a special provision for winter tree removal. Dates vary throughout the state depending on which animal species or active vegetative diseases are in the area. Typical restriction dates for clearing are from sometime in October until sometime in March of the following year.

Tree sizes typically vary from the plans due to the design survey being conducted several years prior to the project construction. Actual tree sizes must be agreed upon between the Contractor and Engineer at the time of construction.

When working near or in any government regulated area, such as state or federal parks or forests, notification to the appropriate government entity is required before work can begin. Regulations other than those set forth by MDOT may apply to these areas.

The Inspector should review the following before work begins onsite:

• Subsection 107.15 of the Standard Specifications for Construction for compliance with laws; environmental protection.
• Section 208 of the Standard Specifications for Construction for soil erosion and sedimentation control.
• Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual.
• EGLE permits found in the proposal.
• Special provisions.
• Other applicable supplemental specifications.

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CONSTRUCTION

Removals

Trees, stumps, and other vegetation are removed to 10 feet outside the slope stake line or to the ROW line, whichever is a smaller area. All removals need to be completed in a way that does not disturb vegetation in the area marked to be protected or remain in place nor injure other trees, structures, traffic, or the general public.

Skid Steer with Forestry Mulcher Removing Brush

In peat treatment areas, all tree, stump, or other vegetation removals are to be completed to the outside limits of the peat excavation area. Vegetation should be cut off to no greater than 6 inches above the ground surface. Any stumps or roots extending beyond the outside limit of the peat excavation is not required to be removed. If approved by the Engineer, stumps can be buried with a minimum of 2 feet of fill in peat disposal areas outside the limits of sound fill.

The Inspector should do the following while onsite for removals:

1. Check that measures have been implemented to prevent soil erosion and manage sedimentation especially near water bodies and in areas prone to runoff.
2. Verify the edge of removal limits.
3. Notify the Engineer immediately if removals go beyond the limits specified in the plans, proposal, or other project documents.

Protecting Plant Life

All vegetation outside the clearing or removal limits should be protected throughout the duration of the project. For trees marked to be preserved, snow fence is typically placed outside the drip line to prevent equipment or materials from being stored under the tree. Preservation of vegetation should be monitored throughout clearing and construction operations to ensure it remains free from injury and defacement. Any trees or shrubs outside the clearing or removal limits that are damaged by the Contractor during operations must be repaired or replaced at no cost to the contract.

Snow Fence Installed Around a Tree Dripline

Salvaging Marketable Timber

Any timber in good condition that is at least 6 inches in diameter and is at least 4.5 feet above the base of the tree from ground level is considered marketable and should not be burned, wasted, or damaged.

1. Marketable timber in the MDOT ROW is the property of the Contractor, and should be made available to wood-using industries or individuals.
2. Marketable timber in ROW easements is considered the property of the landowner. The Contractor will cut and store the timber neatly adjacent to the ROW on the landowner’s property.
3. Marketable timber on Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) or Forest Service land is their property and will be cut in accordance with the agreement made with the entity. The MDNR or Forest Service can sell or dispose of the timber as long as its removal does not interfere with Contractor operations.

Disposing of Unsalvageable Material

Any unmarketable timber or vegetative debris resulting from selective thinning or clearing must not be temporarily or permanently disposed of in wetlands or floodplains; it should be disposed of in accordance with Subsection 205.03.P of the Standard Specifications for Construction using one of the following methods:

1. Chipping: The Contractor must dispose of chips outside the ROW unless otherwise approved by the Engineer.
2. Burning: The Contractor must obtain a burning permit. Only trees, logs, brush, or stumps can be burned within the ROW in accordance with Subsection 107.15.A.3 of the Standard Specifications for Construction. Tires, heavy distillates, or plastics cannot be used as kindling agents. Any remaining materials can be disposed of outside the ROW or any other area approved by the Engineer.

Selective Thinning

Undesirable trees, stumps, undergrowth, and debris must be removed and disposed of outside designated clearing areas. Refer to Subsection 201.03.A.2 and Subsection 201.03.A.4 of the Standard Specifications for Construction for detailed information. The Contractor should treat all stumps and stubs with a growth preventative as required.

Areas designated for selective thinning will either be directed by the Engineer or noted on the plans. Selective thinning methods include:

1. Selective Thinning Type I: Stumps will be cut no greater than 6 inches above the existing ground level with a growth preventative material applied the same day.
2. Selective Thinning Type II: Stumps will be chipped or ground 4 inches below the proposed ground level.

Clearing For Fence

Any trees, stumps, stubs, or other vegetation on the fence line will need to be removed and disposed of. Do not clear any more than 8 feet within the ROW unless approved by the Engineer; do not clear outside of the ROW. Where possible, less than 8 feet of clearing should be performed along the fence.

If accessing other public ROW to perform the clearing operation, the Contractor will provide the Engineer with written approval to do so from the landowner.

Trees, bushes, shrubs, stumps, and other vegetation will be cut flush with the ground level. Roots do not need to be removed. Tree or bush limbs should not be removed if they do not impact the placement of the fence. Stumps and stubs within 1 foot of the fence line must be treated with growth preventative material the same day they are removed.

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INSPECTION & TESTING

The Inspector should be familiar with the clearing limits before the operation begins. As clearing is underway, the Inspector should make periodic checks to ensure all clearing activities are within the limits of the project plans, proposal, specifications, special provisions, and/or agreements.

The Inspector should utilize, at a minimum, the following tools to perform the required inspection:

• 100-foot tape measure or longer
• 25-foot tape measure
• Tree tape measure
• Tree caliper
• Measuring wheel
• Chaining pin
• 6-foot stick ruler
• Working plans
• Survey equipment
• Camera

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MEASUREMENT, DOCUMENTATION & PAYMENT

Measurement and Payment

Clearing and selective thinning are paid for by the acre. An area should not be paid unless work has been fully completed. The outside bound is established by the outer face of the outermost cut tree. Careful attention to the plans is needed for accurate payment of the Contractor’s work. Tree and stump removal not included in the clearing limits are to be paid separately.

• Sample Calculation:
  • 50 ft x 12 ft = 600 sft
  • = 0.0138 acres
  • Clearing posting = 0.014 acres

Fence clearing is measured and paid along the fence line by station. All handwork and application of growth preventative materials, where required, are included in the fence clearing item.

• Sample Calculations:
  • 1,100 ft of fence clearing was completed.
  • = 11 stations

Documentation Requirements

The Inspector should keep detailed notes and photographs as needed of all clearing activities in their Daily Work Report (DWR). Including any changes from the plans. Special attention should be paid to the actual tree sizes as it is common to have tree sizes vary from the plans.

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LOCAL AGENCY PROJECTS

-Reserved-

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RAIL PROJECTS

-Reserved-

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