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 Makanda often starts with a wooded lot or a fence row that brush has closed in. The 2020 census counted 547 people in Makanda, a village in Jackson County. It sits between Carbondale and Cobden, and US 51 is the main highway through Makanda Township. Giant City State Park lies next door, and Makanda is the park's nearest city. The park is public land, so we clear the private ground around it. Bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose and wild vines are what our machine grinds most often around here. IDNR notes that bush honeysuckle invades sunny spots like forest edges first, then spreads into shadier woods.
Our tracked skid steer runs a forestry mulching head. It chews up brush, vines, saplings and small trees and leaves them as chips on the spot. Each stump ends up cut to grade, and the chip layer stays behind as mulch. Most ground is ready to use the same day. We are based in Cobden, in Shawnee Hills country. Overgrown woods around Makanda call for forestry mulching, while fence rows and old fields get brush clearing. We are fully insured and glad to take small jobs. Estimates are free, so call or text (618) 697-5190.
Tell us about your land. We will get right back to you.
The village was named after Makanda, a local Native American chieftain. In the early 20th century, it used the slogan "Star of Egypt." Former U.S. Senator Paul Simon died in 2003. Makanda then added a bow tie to its smiley face water tower to honor him. Downtown, the historic Boardwalk is home to local artisan shops. Makanda Vulture Fest, held the third weekend in October, celebrates the black and turkey vultures that migrate to the region. The center lines of the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipse paths crossed in Makanda.
Makanda Township covers 37.88 square miles, and the 2020 census counted 4,034 people across it. Giant City State Park takes in 4,000 acres in Jackson and Union Counties, inside the Shawnee National Forest. From 1934 to 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps built its lodge from locally quarried sandstone and locally harvested lumber. Along the Giant City Nature Trail, the Giant City Streets are huge sandstone bluffs formed 12,000 years ago. The park holds more than 75 varieties of towering trees. Little Grassy Lake and Spring Arbor Lake also lie in the township. We work the private woods and fields outside the park and the national forest.
Every job starts with us looking over your ground, near the village or out toward Boskydell. We flag what stays, and the mulcher turns everything else into chips. Each cut stump keeps its roots in the soil. Autumn olive spreads through root suckers and through birds that eat its fruit. Treating stumps or regrowth comes after, and that step belongs to you or a licensed applicator you hire. On badly disturbed sites thick with large bush honeysuckle, IDNR says machinery may be the most efficient removal option.
Giant City has an equestrian campground and a 12-mile loop trail, and the River to River Trail serves the park. On private land off US 51, trail cutting opens a path to a deer stand or a back field. On hunting ground near the Shawnee National Forest, we open shooting lanes and access trails. Ground for a future food plot can be cleared the same way. On land for sale, a cleared property line lets buyers reach the boundary and see it. Thick bush honeysuckle under the trees is a job for honeysuckle removal, which mulches the whole shrub layer.
Communities & areas we serve around Makanda: Boskydell, Pomona Township, Alto Pass, Cobden, Carbondale, Unity Point, US 51 corridor.
Makanda ZIP codes served: 62958.
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 Makanda. 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.