Forestry Mulching
Forestry mulching turns brush, saplings and small trees into a layer of wood chip mulch on site. We cover Jackson, Union and Williamson counties from our base in Cobden.
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Land clearing in Elkville often starts with a fence row or woodlot edge that brush has closed in. Elkville is a village in northeastern Jackson County, and the 2020 census counted 838 people here. It lies in Elk Township, and US Route 51 runs through the center of the village. De Soto is 7 miles south on US 51, and Carbondale is 13 miles south. The village was named for the elk that frequented mineral licks near the original town site. Today the brush we grind most around here is bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose and wild vines. A typical bush honeysuckle may make more than 20,000 seeds in a year, according to an IDNR guideline.
We clear that growth with a tracked skid steer and a forestry mulching head. The head grinds brush, vines, saplings and small trees into chips right where they stand. Each stump is cut down to grade, and the chips stay on the ground as mulch. Most ground is ready to use the same day. We are based in Cobden, and Jackson County is part of our regular service area. Around Elkville, forestry mulching opens up overgrown woods, and brush clearing takes back fence rows and field edges. We are fully insured, and small jobs are welcome. For a free estimate in the 62932 ZIP code, call or text (618) 697-5190.
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A 1912 history of Southern Illinois called De Soto and Elkville coal stations and country towns. Both stood on the Illinois Central line north of Carbondale. Illinois coal mine records for the Elkville area say most mines there worked the Herrin Coal. That seam ran up to 10 feet thick and generally averaged over 6 feet. Another seam was dug from surface pits just north of the village. Up until the 1920 census, Elkville's count also took in the village of Dowell. Dowell was founded as a coal town, and its Kathleen Coal Mine closed in November 1946.
IDNR says elk once lived in Illinois and were among the largest mammals of the prairie. Pioneers killed many for food and hides, and others lost their habitat to farming and settlement. Elk were wiped out of the state, but the village still carries their name. The 2020 census counted 1,746 people across Elk Township. Hallidayboro sits just south of Elkville on US 51, and Dowell lies farther north on the same road. Campbell Lake and Snider Lake are two of the lakes inside the township.
Each job starts with us looking over your ground, in the village or out in Elk Township. If your property holds an old coal pit or a soft low spot, show us before the work starts. We mark what you want to keep, and the mulching head grinds the rest into chips. Stumps are cut to grade, and their roots stay in the soil. Bush honeysuckle comes back fast, and IDNR says cut stems usually start resprouting about three weeks after cutting. Treating stumps or regrowth is a separate step that you handle or hire a licensed applicator to do.
Where a fence row has grown shut, fence line clearing opens it so the wire can be found and fixed. Selling land near Elkville? A cleared property line lets buyers reach the boundary and see it. On land you hunt, hunting property improvement opens shooting lanes and access trails. We can also clear ground for a future food plot. We work private ground across Elk Township and west into Vergennes Township.
Communities & areas we serve around Elkville: Elk Township, Dowell, Hallidayboro, Vergennes Township, De Soto, Carbondale, US 51 corridor.
Elkville ZIP codes served: 62932.
Free, no-obligation estimates throughout Jackson County and beyond.
(618) 697-5190 Forestry mulching turns brush, saplings and small trees into a layer of wood chip mulch on site. We cover Jackson, Union and Williamson counties from our base in Cobden.
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Brush clearing for overgrown fields, fence lines, old lots and invasive thickets across Southern Illinois. Our tracked skid steer grinds the brush into mulch on the spot, so the ground is usable the same day.
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We cut new ATV and UTV trails through wooded ground, and reopen old paths that grew shut. The mulcher leaves a chip surface you can walk or drive the same day.
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We clear shooting lanes and quiet access trails on hunting property across Southern Illinois. Selective mulching opens the ground you want open and leaves the cover that holds deer.
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We mulch bush honeysuckle, autumn olive and multiflora rose down to grade level. The chips stay on the ground and the woods open back up.
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We clear brush, vines, saplings and small cedars off fence lines and hedgerows. The growth is mulched where it stands, so the fence is easy to see and work on.
Learn MoreReal reviews from our Google Business Profile.
Blackburn Land Service did an excellent job of clearing a messy area of vines, overgrowth, and hanging branches on our property. Calls were retuned promptly, work was done thoughtfully, efficiently, and in a timely manner, as promised. The area was cleaned up and looked great when completed. Gery was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone needing a project done right the first time and on time!
Gery did an awesome job for us! He was so easy to work with from the initial call to the final handshake of thanks! We had an area behind our pond and some trails in the woods cleared, so now we can take our grandchildren on great adventures on the side by side! Thanks again Gery!
Gery is truly knowledgeable and professional with attention to detail. May your projects be large or small he is very thorough from start to finish. He goes above and beyond to make sure his client is totally satisfied with his services. I would highly recommend Gery for any of your land clearing projects.
Gery from Blackburn Land Service is excellent! Great guy and a pleasure to do business with. Highly recommended if you need work done!
Gery’s work is always impeccable. I hope to have another job for him soon.
Gery always works to complete a job with customer satisfaction being the most important aspect of any job !!
A few of the questions we hear most around Elkville. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Overgrown field, a fence line you cannot find, a trail that grew shut, or hunting ground that needs lanes? Call or text, or send the form. We will come look at the ground and give you a free estimate.
Tell us about your land. We will get right back to you.