"Selective" Bulldozing

[Mitzi M]

Unless you are on a shield of solid rock (pahoehoe) or have made a hole in solid rock, then you will probably have fast draining layers of 'a'a rock. Usually there are a lot of prety big spaces in these loosely compacted layers, and you may be able to take advantage of that to create tree planting holes. Depending on your situation, the easiest way may be to get someone with a bobcat to dig the holes for you once the rest of the clearing has been done. You'll need to add soil to the planting hole, so the trick there becomes how to keep the soil from dispersing into the porous rock around it (gardening in lava is really different, in case you hadn't noticed!. What I generally do is line the planting hole with enough black cinder so that the biggest spaces seem to plug up, and then use a soil mix high in organic material, (mac nut hull compost is a good one here). Another solution that works especially well for planting out younger trees, say up to a 25 gallon pot, is to dig down some, but then use the rocks to build up a sort of raised bed that you then fill with soil and can cover with mulch on the outside edge. I've seen this work well in Puna. Cinder is generally used for leveling your housepad, driveway, and any other place you want to be flat, like a turf area. It's good to have some flat space where its easy to walk, but consider leaving some of the natural rock formations, especially around the existing trees (it sounds like you are). To me, its always sad and ironic when people pay big bucks to have boulders brought in and arranged to look "natural" on top of land full of lovely rock formations they just paid big bucks to have dozed flat. Other thoughts... find a contractor who has a smaller machine - like a D4. This will reduce the possibility of accidents caused by a D9's humongus turning radius. Finally, remember that the trees you want to save have roots that may run a ways from the actual tree, so tape off a wide swath around them, say at least 15'-20' where possible, to reduce compaction and root disturbance from the heavy machines. Jerry and Greg have an excellent point about having someone there to supervise when the clearing is being done. I've heard some heartbreakers about that kind of thing. You are being a very wise and considerate new neighbor by deciding to save the native trees on your land.

Aloha and welcome!
Mitzi


Uluhe Design
Restoration Based Landscape Design for Hawai'i
uluhedesign@yahoo.com