The best machines for scrubland maintenance

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The best machines for scrubland maintenance: Scrublands are an extremely valuable habitat to many species, with the small patches of nettles and brambles, and the more densely packed young trees and gorse bushes, offering food and shelter.

Technically described as a ‘successional habitat’, scrub is temporary and transitions from one type of habitat to another. Despite this transitory nature, though, scrubs do require an element of maintenance to keep the area under control.

The best machines for scrubland maintenance

The best machines for scrubland maintenance

Preparing for scrubland maintenance

Before any scrubland maintenance can be done, preparation is essential for maintaining the area effectively and safely. A site survey should be conducted to ascertain what wildlife is present in the scrubland, allowing those carrying out the work to be mindful of these habitats. It’s also important to keep a variety of old and young scrub, to ensure variety and diversity is provided, making it appealing to a wider range of species.

When managing scrublands, it’s also important to maintain a direct link to surrounding habitats as this allows species to explore the landscape. Invasive species such as Japanese knotweed and rhododendron should also be controlled, as they have very little value for wildlife and will happily take over the site if allowed, causing more problems in the future.

Using a brushcutter on scrubland

There are a range of techniques that can be employed to control scrub when necessary, the most popular, of course, being the use of a brushcutter. These powerful machines are ideal for cutting through overgrown bushes and fields and for clearing through dense scrub. Billy Goat’s range of brushcutters have heavy-duty spindles, strong engines and ergonomic controls which make them easy to use in even the harshest environments, with a different model available for a variety of requirements.

The BC2600HEBB BC Series Pivoting Deck brushcutter has been engineered to glide over uneven terrain, like scrub, as its pivoting brush deck hugs the ground for a closer cut. Its improved traction also keeps the weight of the machine firmly on its extra wide tyres, helping to make user manoeuvrability as easy as possible. The machine also boasts a Tuff Torq™ variable hydrostatic transmission that features a fully automatic Enhanced Tractions Control (ETC), offering a superior traction in wet or uneven conditions and can cut saplings and brush at a rate of an acre per hour.

For those looking for a fixed deck, Billy Goat’s BC2600ICM BC Series Fixed Deck brushcutter is a great option as it provides excellent stability in deep vegetation. Powered by a Honda engine, the mechanical transaxle – which features three speeds forward and one reverse – is ideal for clearing meadows and fields or cutting paths and trails wherever dense brush and weeds present a clean-up challenge. The heavy-duty blade spindle is reinforced on four sides, so it can tackle even the toughest cutting conditions, including thick bushes, grass and weeds over 180cm tall, and saplings up to 5cm diameter.

For larger scrubland areas, the BCR3626BVECE 4WD Outback Rider is the ultimate brushcutter as it has been designed with a low centre of gravity, combined with a four-wheel drive system that enables it to tackle those hard-to-reach places that traditional machines are unable to reach. The spacious platform also provides sufficient space and operator comfort whilst the heavy-duty mower deck is equipped with swing-back cutter blades that swing away when accidental contact is made with solid objects. As well as protecting wildlife, these features also help protect the mower deck and cutter blades from accidental damage.

Whether it’s low level or extensive scrubland maintenance, Billy Goat has a range of brush cutters that make managing scrublands safe and easy.

Billy Goat products are available nationwide through Henton & Chattell’s dealer network. For more information and to see videos demonstrating their performance visit www.billygoat.co.uk.

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Two more new dealers for Corvus 4×4

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Two more new dealers for Corvus 4×4: Boss ORV has announced the appointment of two new dealers to the Corvus 4×4 utility vehicle network. North of the border in Perthshire is John Drysdale Agricultural Engineers, a business started in 1979, at the age of 21, by John Drysdale.

He continues with his son Robert to offer a wide range of leading agricultural machinery, parts, and servicing. The servicing and repair end of the company covers most brands of ATV, all the major brands of tractors and all types of agricultural machinery. They have now taken delivery of their first Corvus Terrain UTV units with a handover by Phil Everett, BOSS ORV’s Managing Director.

Two more new dealers for Corvus 4x4

Two more new dealers for Corvus 4×4

“We are extremely proud to add the vast experience in the ORV industry of John Drysdale Agricultural Engineers to our dealer network,” says Phil. “It’s great to have John, Jane, Robert and all the team at Drysdale’s join the Corvus journey.”

Heading south, Phil welcomes MD Newton Bellisario and his Dial-A-Digger team in the New Forest region to the Corvus family. The business is now fully stocked with units in the showroom and a demo unit ready to go. Dial-A-Digger offers a wide range of plant, tractor and ATV hire, covering beyond the New Forest across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and north to Southampton and Winchester. They will offer the range of Terrain models from the latest DX4 with its Yanmar diesel engine for performance, to the Pro EPS and the CAB version with creature comforts, including air conditioning and full protection from the weather.

The appointment of Dial-A-Digger marks the growth of the Corvus dealer network to twenty-four dealers since the launch of the Corvus TerrainDX4 by Boss ORV in 2019. The UK coverage stretches from Inverness to Cornwall and across to Northern Ireland and is continuing to grow. For more information about the Corvus Terrain range, you can call 01597 810188, E-mail: sales@bossorv.co.uk or visit www.bossorv.co.uk

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Parkway turns to GKB

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Parkway turns to GKB: Within 48 hours of it being added to their fleet, a VStrong from GKB was put straight to work by Parkway Ground Maintenance, as the team looked to complete a busy cricket renovation season.

Delivered in conjunction with two other GKB machines – a Deep Tine Aerator (DTA) 160 and a Combiseeder 120 – Managing Director Dean McDermott estimates that their VStrong 120 scarified in the region of 300 wickets this year!

Parkway turns to GKB

Parkway turns to GKB

Parkway Ground Maintenance in the Midlands were formed in 2000 and look after a wide variety of sports surfaces, spanning both natural and synthetic turf. Their trio of new machines, delivered in June 2021 complements a large fleet of equipment, which already includes a number of solutions from GKB. “We’ve got an EcoDresser and Sandspreader from GKB, along with their QuickClean and Brush for artificial surfaces and, for us, it’s the build quality that keeps us coming back” explains Dean. “In our opinion, it is built better and stronger than equipment from any other manufacturer and, over the years, that quality of construction has remained consistent.”

“Another big positive about the GKB range is how simple the equipment is to use” adds Operator Tony Besent. “When it comes to scarifiers, over the years there aren’t many makes and models I haven’t tried, but the blade configuration of the VStrong makes it the most effective one I’ve used.” The GKB VStrong features a unique CombiRotor equipped with heavy duty steel blades which rotates against the direction of travel, accurately scarifying down to depths of 40mm.

With renovation season at a close, the demand now turns to the DTA. “As we head towards the winter months, it’s going to be aeration on the agenda. Our DTA 160 is already on double figures since we’ve had it and is pretty much fully booked to conduct pre-winter work on a number of winter sports pitches in the area.” When temperatures begin to rise, Dean and his team are looking forward to utilising their brand-new CombiSeeder – the versatility set-up making it ideal for work on all types of surface.

Dean concludes, “Because of the variety of work and tight schedules we have to work to, we need equipment that is reliable and that is backed up with fast support when required – and that’s exactly what we get with GKB.”

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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) today announces that SALTEX Operations Director, Derek Walder, also known as ‘Mr SALTEX’, will be the third inductee into its industry Hall of Fame.

This latest honour, the most significant gesture of appreciation the GMA can award, follows Derek’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and is being awarded to Derek as an acknowledgement of an illustrious career in the industry spanning more than half a century.

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

Derek’s career has seen him involved in many corners of the groundscare sector, including 26 years as the grounds manager at Wimbledon Football Club’s training site during a legendary period in the club’s history which involved working alongside the notorious group of Wimbledon players known as the ‘Crazy Gang’.

Derek first got involved in SALTEX operations in 1970 as one of many members dedicating their own time in order to ensure SALTEX was a success. His time involved in SALTEX has seen him deal with many important moments in the show’s history, like when the show moved from outdoor venues to an indoor one and, most recently, the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring the safety of visitors at this year’s show. This year, marks his 40th delivery of the annual trade exhibition.

His induction into the GMA’s Hall of Fame means that Derek is just the third inductee, joining legendary grounds managers, the late Eddie Seaward MBE, former Head Groundsman at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club and Steve Braddock, Head of Grounds Management at the Arsenal Football Club training centre. His award represents the many crucial roles being played behind the scenes that keep the sector, and its events, running.

GMA CEO, Geoff Webb, commenting on Derek’s latest honour, says:

“Our Hall of Fame recognises outstanding contributions to the industry and Derek’s achievements go far beyond turf management by bringing together the groundscare sector successfully under one roof year on year. Derek has shown unswerving dedication to the success of SALTEX, and this award is richly deserved.”

On receiving his honour, Hall of Fame inductee, Derek Walder, says:

“There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’; I am surrounded by a great bunch of people who consistently commit 100 per cent to the show. I’ve been delivering SALTEX for a long time, but at the end of the day we’ve got a good team and that’s what makes it a success.”

An in-depth feature on Derek, and his journey in grounds management which led to his induction into the Grounds Management Association Hall of Fame, was published in the Winter 2021 edition of the GMA’s member magazine, Grounds Management, a preview of which you can read by clicking here.

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