Removing Trees: Equipment Question

[eskals]

Here in SE Michigan, there is some weird disease killing off a ton of ash trees. MSU has no idea exactly what it is. The only thing they say is that this could be the Dutch Elm disease of our generation.

Anyways, I am looking at about 30-35 trees that need to be removed. All have been in the ground less than 8 years, and vary in size from 3-5" diameter. I would love to just cut the tree and grind the small stump, but many are mounded up above the surrounding area, and the customer wants to just plant grass in their place. So he wants me to remove the tree and enough roots to make a level area for seed without any mounded areas.

What would be the best piece of equipment to use? A skid steer w/ forks to try and pop them out, or a mini-X and dig them out?

Thanks

Eric

[SCL]

Why not rent a spade for your skidloader or get a digger spade?

[rick_reno]

I use a new stumpgrinder Bobcat has to grind them - it'll grind them a 12-14 iches below ground level, and then you can use the wheel to pull the pile back into the hole for rough leveling. The grinder is very efficient, it takes longer to set up on a stump than it does to grind it down. It requires a high flow skidsteer. For smaller stumps I'll use the grapple hooks, grab onto them and lift and they pop right up out of the ground.