Land Clearing AtIsland Lake & Fish Lake
Cabin lots and wooded acreage around the Island Lake and Fish Lake reservoirs north of Duluth. We mulch brush and small trees in place and keep the trees you want.
Clearing Land Around Island Lake
Island Lake and Fish Lake are the two big reservoirs in the woods north of Duluth, with Boulder Lake just beyond them. They are power company reservoirs. Island Lake backs up the Cloquet River, and the water held here feeds the hydro stations downstream on the St. Louis River. Rice Lake Road crosses Island Lake on its way north, and cabins and year-round homes sit on the points and bays of both lakes. Land clearing at Island Lake and Fish Lake is mostly small-lot work in tight quarters. A forestry mulcher suits it, because one compact machine does the job and there is nothing to burn close to the neighbors.
The lots here were laid out for cabins. They are wooded to the door and often reached by a narrow road through the trees. Over time the driveway closes in, the parking spot shrinks and balsam fills the space under the birch and popple. We widen the drive, open room for a garage or a trailer and thin the thicket around the buildings with lot clearing and brush and underbrush clearing. If dead or dying balsam is part of the picture, our guides on clearing dead balsam fir and defensible space around a cabin explain what mulching can do.
What We Clear In Island Lake
Near the water, slow down before you cut. Shoreland rules restrict clearing in the strip closest to the lake, and who enforces them depends on where the lot is. Gnesen Township runs its own zoning office. Other shoreline falls under St. Louis County. Because these are reservoirs, the power company may also have a say over land at the water's edge, so ask about that too. Back from the shore there is plenty we can do, from a path to the back of the lot to a full opening for a new building. Read our shoreland guide for the general rules, and trails and access for path work.
- Cabin driveways that have closed in
- Room for a garage or boat trailer
- Balsam thinned around cabins
- Paths to the back of the lot
- Wooded lots before a rebuild
Most Asked For Around Here
These four fit most Island Lake properties. See all eight services.
Forestry Mulching
Brush, saplings and small trees ground into mulch where they stand. One machine, one pass.
Brush & Underbrush
Thick understory taken out so you can walk, see and use your woods again.
Trails & Access
ATV trails, walking paths and access lanes cut through the woods.
Lot & Site Clearing
Home sites, cabins and yards cleared and ready for the next step.
Island Lake Questions
Can you get a mulcher into a narrow cabin lot on Island Lake or Fish Lake?
Usually. We need a spot to unload the trailer and a way in that the loader fits down. Where the driveway itself has grown shut, clearing it is the first pass of the job. Point out overhead lines, the well, the septic tank and the drain field before we start, because the machine has to stay off them.
Who do I ask about cutting trees near the shore on these lakes?
Start with zoning. Gnesen Township has its own zoning office, and the St. Louis County planning and zoning office covers areas that do not. Give them the lake and the address and ask what is allowed near the water. Since both lakes are power company reservoirs, also ask whether the utility controls any ground at the waterline. We do the clearing once you know your limits.
Can you thin the balsam around my cabin and leave the birch and pine?
Yes. That is selective clearing, and it is what the machine is good at. You mark the trees that stay. We grind the balsam, the brush and the small dead stuff between them and leave it as mulch. Rake the chips back from the cabin walls and deck afterward. Larger dead trees that could reach a building are a job for a tree service.
Do you clear lots at Island Lake and Fish Lake in winter?
Yes. We work all year. Frozen ground carries the machine across low spots that stay soft all summer, and the lots are quiet. Deep snow slows the work and can hide stubs and rock, so we look at conditions first. Winter clearing means the place is open when the ice goes out.
Also Clearing Near Island Lake
Island Lake is part of our St. Louis County service area. We also work in:
Clearing Land In Island Lake?
Call or text (218) 461-7376 or tell us where the property is and what you want cleared. Calvin walks the land with you before you get an estimate.
- Free estimate after we walk the land
- Acreage, lots, trails and fence lines
- Rather talk now? Call or text (218) 461-7376