You gotta get the privit out roots and all, that's for sure!

GGG

If you cut it down then you can grind it up. You can leave it all in a pile to "cook" into usable compost.

If you leave stumps, paint the top of the stumps with Brush Be Gone or some other woody brush herbicide.

Burning actually contributes to pollution, so you might want to consider that aspect.

Good luck! I have a few of those weeds myself, although not nearly on your scale!

My, you have a lot of trash trees and big-time vines that have stubborn roots! Your mulch may have many, many weed seeds.

Have you priced having a bulldozer come in?

What is your goal with this plot? What kind of equipment will you use to keep down weeds and vines once it's clean?

Nell

Well after we harvested the pine trees about 15 years ago it just got a little out of control but the oaks and pines are getting bigger so it's not as much of a problem. We intend to have a large area of land set aside for pines but we would like to do some gardens with rare trees mostly conifers. We bought a Dr. Brush Mower which has worked very well even on the thickest privethedge. But is there really no good use for all these weeds?

WARNING: Burning, even if it's permitted, is extremely hazardous to yourself and others if the cut brush includes poison sumac and/or poison ivy/poison oak. Breathing in the smoke can cause serious systemic poisoning.

The cut material can just lie on the ground to rot and return to dirt.

Have you talked with the Forestry Service, the Spaulding County Extension Agent or your FSA office about common practices in your area?

Have you considered goats?

Does anyone have any experience with goats? Are they actually good and is the stuff goats leave behind safe like cow manure or would it contain dangererous bacteria like humans and cats?

Your first chore will be to get rid of the kudzu and the privet. Until you do that, you will be wasting time and energy. The privet will need to be dug out and the kudzu will need repeated applications of brush killer. Allow at least one season to make sure that you have it all. Kudzu roots are widespread and you have to kill all of it. While you are getting rid of it, you will have the chance to destroy the honeysuckle roots too.

No, all of that stuff is useless as mulch. The privet will resprout from the tiniest pieces and the mimosa will give you tons of seeds.

40 acres is a lot to worry about. Do it one or two acres at a time and do a good job, then move to other areas. The rest will provide a nice wild life habitat.

Sounds like you need a bulldozer! Kudzu can be quite a pain to get rid of and the roots of Sweetgums go deep. Are the saplings all small enough for a bobcat skid steer? Pretty economical way to clear large areas.

I can answer your goat questions. I think they are great to have and they love sweet gum leaves and limbs. They will not, however, eat everything. Goats are browsers, like deer, and leave a lot of stuff growing at grass level. Their manure is great for composting or it can go right into the garden, since they are herbivores. They leave little pellets which are easy to rake up and they dry quickly and are not messy. I live in the city now and I really miss my goats.

Goats are gaining in popularity for this very purpose! Several southern universities have been studying and working with goats for years. It would be worth your while, if you are interested, to contact your local extension office to see if UGA has a list of goat ranchers (herders?) who rent their goats out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hard working goats!