Things to consider when driving an excavator in rough terrain.
- Please review the route with the excavator operator; remember that we believe the route works, but the operator knows if it actually does.
- Make sure to have a plan for the trees that will be cleared along the route. Be careful with the trees so they remain intact and can be placed back over the route when it’s no longer in use. Or lay the trees across the route and drive over them to preserve the terrain, especially if the ground is wet or has a thin layer of soil.
- Trees that should not be driven over are those with natural value, such as larger conifers.
- If you do drive over the trees, they should be buried afterward, as they become very damaged after being driven over multiple times.
- Hiking trails and paths should remain accessible even after the work is completed. If there are cultural remains, these should be marked to avoid accidentally placing the route over them or negatively impacting the cultural environment in any way.
- For a longer continuous restoration area, there should be at least two access routes: one leading into the water and one out of it.
- For shorter restoration areas, one access route may be sufficient, with the entrance also serving as the exit.
- When the access route is no longer needed, it should be restored. Any stones and boulders should be returned, trees that were not driven over should be pulled back onto the route, and in short, it should not look like a machine has been there.
