Following up on my clearing of saplings in the fall and early spring, it was time for Glen to come in with the backhoe while Dennis chainsawed the larger trees and I got out of the way. Interesting technique for a novice like me: Glen pushed the shovel against the tree and Dennis sawed. This made sure the tree would fall away from Dennis.

Later, Glen moved trunks and stumps into piles and levelled the area where the structure will sit. It also made it possible for Gilles to come in and settle the location of the septic. When he did come, Gilles determined it necessary to build the septic first because of the slope.

The photos give a sense of the stages in the clearing process, from September 21 to May 22.