The traditional slash-and-burn technique of land clearing is taking a back seat in Alberta as companies mulch their way into a more environmentally friendly future.

Seeking to minimize their impact on the land and maximize the benefits, mulching - even though it dates back many years - is just now beginning to play a larger role when it comes to clearing land for seismic line cuttings, roads, lease pads, oilfield facilities or other items such as pipeline right-of-ways.

Mulchers use a powerful rotating head to grind trees into mulch, reducing the fire hazard associated with brush-pile burning and the potential of adverse fumes.

"Destructive methods in the past have included slash-and-burn as well as bulldozing techniques," says Derwin Herrera, vice-president of business development for Nisku-based Landmark Mulching Ltd.

Photo courtesy PrimeTech Shredding Equipment
Proponents say mulching helps keep delicate root systems intact and reduces fire hazards.

"These methods are time consuming and expensive and have demonstrated environmental after-effects such as destruction of the topsoil and root system, fire hazards and waste due to burning brush piles and a significant impact on the ecosystem in general."

As an alternative, Herrera says, mulchers have a lighter footprint in sensitive areas - at only 4.7 pounds per square inch compared to heavy equipment such as Caterpillars - and can reduce the damage in areas such as muskegs.

"The root system and organic soil are held intact, accelerating the chance for new root growth and minimizing any erosion from the topsoil."

Jim Labelle, Landmark's vice-president of field operations, has worked with mulchers for about 10 years. Back then, he recalls, there were relatively few mulchers or mulching companies.

"Now there's quite a few new mulching companies starting up every year - before, it was basically pretty quiet," says Labelle.

"It would probably take 100 men to clear to make a road the way they used to do it. Now, it can take just one machine and could probably be done in about one-tenth of the time."

Andy Cicoria, president of Calgary-based Lorrnel Consultants, which acts as a liaison between the natural resources sector, stakeholders and government, agrees mulching is becoming more common.

"It's also very environmentally friendly," he adds. "In the beginning, it was a lot more expensive to use. Now there are bigger, stronger and better mulchers, and there are more people in the market. The costs are more competitive."

Cicoria points out that mulching leaves no windrow, reducing the potential for disease and insects; there is no stripping of duff layer (decomposing organic material) thereby cutting erosion potential and sedimentation while maintaining the native seed source, and the mulch decomposes quicker than the windrow and returns nutrients to the soil.

Cicoria says while the mulchers can take down whole trees, "if the timber is good enough to use, you might want to salvage it to sell and then mulch the rest."

Erwin Pooley, who used to work as a supervisor for Suncor Energy and is now president of Red Deer-based oilpatch consulting company Char-Rose Exploration Ltd., says mulching equipment has dramatically improved over the last decade.

"The machines now have a very low ground pressure, which leaves less of a scar," says Pooley.

But he also says there are still some diehards that feel the only way to cut is to slash.

"Why did we mulch (at Suncor)? We could cut much narrower lines, there would be less of a scar in the landscape and we found that within one year, we'd get a real good second growth coming back with small vegetation and grass."

Landmark's Labelle notes that there are other benefits, especially for farmers. "A lot of farmers don't want cut lines going through their property and the (leftover tree) stumps could pose a problem for the cattle," he says. "We leave nice trails and cows can use them as grazing paths."

Even though mulching has been around for quite awhile, Labelle still likes to describe it as somewhat new.

"A lot of people have never seen these machines, but it's getting pretty popular," he says. "For an average guy, it's quite a bit of money, but after they see the job the mulchers leave behind they say the end results are worth it."

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)