What Happens to the Wood After a Plot Clearing?
Most people ask us about the clearing itself — the brush cutter work, the chainsaws, the bakkie loads going out. Almost nobody asks where the wood goes. Fair enough. But it’s a good question, and the answer is one of the better stories on a clearing job.
Clearing a Plot Creates a Lot of Wood
A typical overgrown plot in Wilderness or Sedgefield throws out a mixed bag: wattle, blackwood, gum, old pine, invasive shrubs, and whatever the previous owner planted and forgot about. Some of it is rubbish — soft green brush, vines, rotten stumps. That gets chipped or taken to the transfer station.
The rest is solid timber. Once it’s cut to length, split, and stacked, it dries out. Six to eight weeks in the Garden Route sun and wind, and you’ve got braai wood. Hardwood like blackwood and older wattle burns slow and hot. Pine is fine for getting a fire going.
Why We Don’t Just Tip Everything
- It saves you money on disposal loads — fewer trips to the dump.
- Good braai wood is worth real money in George and Knysna, especially in summer.
- It keeps usable timber out of landfill.
- If you want it, we can stack a load for you as part of the job.
On bigger clearings we’ll often sell the excess to locals or regular customers. On smaller jobs, the homeowner usually keeps it. Either way, it doesn’t just vanish.
Fire Safety Comes First
Stacked wood is also a fire risk if it’s left in the wrong place. Keep piles away from the house, away from boundary fences, and never store it under trees. In a dry Garden Route summer, a woodpile against a wall is a problem waiting to happen. We clear a firebreak around the stack as standard.
Before You Clear — Get a Survey
If you’re clearing a plot for building or development, check what’s underground first. Old pipes, cables, and septic tanks don’t show up until a machine hits them. A proper survey saves you a very expensive afternoon. We recommend the team at capevegsurveys.com for land and utility surveys before any clearing work starts.
Get a Quote on WhatsApp
Send us a few photos of the plot on WhatsApp and we’ll come back with an honest quote — clearing, felling, stump removal, land prep, or garden maintenance. If there’s good braai wood in it, we’ll tell you that too.