Running an Environmentally Friendly Coffee Shop: Tips and Ideas

How to Preserve the Environment While Still Clearing Out a Parcel of Land

A parcel of land that has been neglected for many years may be overrun with weeds and invasive plants that are bad for the ecosystem, and which may be very unattractive as well. However, you may not want to simply clear the land when it's been overrun by vegetation that you don't want in the parcel, as this can actually damage the soil and cause soil erosion, and upset the wildlife that may be settled there. Instead, note a few tips for how to preserve the environment while clearing out a parcel of land in any area.

1. Start with shorter vegetation

It may be tempting to pull up the largest vegetation in the area, thinking that this will make the parcel look better. Certainly this could improve the appearance of your parcel of land, but this can also expose the soil to harsh sunlight. In turn, the soil could dry up and get very sandy and dusty. Instead, start with shorter vegetation in the area and remove this, and then allow the soil to settle and collect some moisture under the top layers before you pull up the larger and taller vegetation. Typically trees and dense shrubbery should be removed last in any parcel.

2. Work in one area, rather than removing one type of vegetation

Wildlife and insects may have settled into a certain type of vegetation in the area; removing it all can mean upsetting the ecosystem, as this wildlife or these insects then have no place to go for feeding and shelter. A better choice is to work in one particular area at a time; those animals and insects will then relocate to the same vegetation in another area of your parcel. As you gradually work from one area to another, wildlife and insects can also gradually be relocated without reducing their population.

3. Replace the vegetation

You may assume that soil should have time to breathe and recover after removing vegetation, but roots of plants often keep water in place under topsoil and help to keep soil compact. As you remove certain vegetation and unwanted plants, replace them with native plants you do want in the area. Even if this is a hearty type of sod or turf grass, this can protect soil from erosion and also provide a new habitat to helpful and healthy insects and other creatures that can be beneficial for the overall health of the land itself.

For more information on bush regeneration, contact a local professional.