Brush & Tree Removal
Tree & Brush Removal & Trimming
The BCRC is responsible for maintaining over 590 miles of paved roads and 480 miles of gravel roads. That’s over 2,140 lane miles, in Barry County. Trees and brush can be beautiful and add to the rural character of the County, but they can be hazard to the motoring public. For emergency purposes the BCRC removes trees from the roadway 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Why do we cut trees and brush?
One of the many responsibilities the BCRC has is to provide the traveling public with a reasonably safe and convenient driving experience. Trees can fall onto the roadway at any given time possibly causing an accident or injury. Many trees that are dead or dying need to be removed before they fall onto the roadway. Also trees that are too close to the roadway can cause severe injury if a motorist was to leave the traveled portion of the roadway. Brush hides small animals and deer that the motoring public cannot see before they dash into the roadway possibly causing accident or injury.
How do we cut brush and trees?
This is a very dangerous job. The BCRC has a fully trained High Ranger crew to trim and cut trees from the roadside. The crews follow the latest MIOSHA standards in crew and public safety to accomplish this task. The crew usually starts after the summer construction season and works through the fall and winter months as weather permits. The BCRC tree foreman will make every effort to contact the landowner before we cut any tree.
What do we do with the trees and brush?
The BCRC does not take the trees we cut. We work very closely with the landowners on this issue. The landowner has first rights to all trees. Usually if the landowner does not want them one of the neighbors will be approached. They are cut and placed where the landowner would like them placed. All small limbs and brush are chipped and taken back to the BCRC or if the local landowner wants the chips we will be glad to dump them at your site.
Stump Grinding
Stump Grinding is a process by which the stump of a tree is ground down below ground level. The BCRC has a Stump Grinding crew that follows up behind the tree cutting crew to grind any stumps that may have been left by the High Ranger crew.
Brush Cutting
The BCRC has a rubber tired excavator mounted with a slash buster head to cut and grind trees and brush from the roadside. Since purchasing the machine, the BCRC has increased its ability to keep the roadsides clear of trees and brush. The Brush Cutter operates from July through March. With the possibility of spreading the oak wilt disease, no cutting will be done the months of April, May & June. Currently we are moving around the County township by township working on all of the paved roads.