Description
Bush rakes are mounted on the front of crawler tractors or front-end loaders to pile or stack trees and shrubs prior to revegetation. Evenly spaced teeth across the front of the rake trap debris and prepare relatively soil-free piles. Multi-application (MA) rakes can penetrate into the soil to remove roots and stumps. These rakes are about 12-feet wide. Stacker rakes slide on the soil surface for fast shearing and stacking. A shearing plate is often welded to the teeth to improve performance. Widths of stacker rakes vary from 14 to 19 feet. Root rakes are towed behind the tractor and are designed to remove roots and stumps following rootplowing. These rakes vary in width from 18 to 24 feet. Horsepower recommended for both stacker and root rakes varies from 140 to 350.
Application
Rakes are used in land clearing for debris removal to allow follow-up brush control, traversing the landscape, and primary tillage. Piles of debris may be burned or saved for wildlife habitat depending on goals of the project. A skillful operator can build piles relatively free of soil. In some situations, soil disturbance is sufficient for seeding. Root rakes are used to clear land for farming operations.
Images
References / Additional Information
Roby, G.A.; Green, L.R. 1976. Mechanical methods of chaparral modification. Agric. Handbook 487. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 46 p.