THE latest addition to Bruce Todd Ltd’s fleet has been hard at work in the Scottish Highlands, mounding to prepare a recently harvested area of forest for the next planting of saplings.
Managing director Bruce Todd has over 20 years’ experience in forestry management, specialising in ground preparation activities including drainage, trackways and all types of excavator-based mounding.
This current project sees Bruce and his team tackling an area of forest in excess of 60 hectares. Using excavators, they are establishing ATV trackways and drainage as well as utilising an inverted mounding technique.
The process is to excavate small mounds and place them at two metre intervals, with drains established every 12 metres. Planting takes place on the top of the mounds in the cleared soil above ground level.
The Bruce Todd fleet of excavators has been boosted by the inclusion of a Kobelco SK140SRL-5 high walker excavator, supplied by Molson Young Plant Sales.
As reported in Project Plant earlier this year, this factory-built, specialist excavator has been specifically designed and built for forestry applications.
Based on the Kobelco SK140SRLC-5 compact radius excavator, the high walker model features a custom-built undercarriage to cope with demanding woodland conditions.
The machine boasts a ground clearance of 585mm, an uprated heavy-duty turret guard and increased crawler length of 3,790mm. Other specification additions include a custom-built Kobelco screen guard and heavy-duty track motor guards.
