On Mon, 6 Feb 2012 08:54:09 -0800 (PST), Elliott P
wrote:

Greetings all. A new property of my family's is covered by a massive
stand of running bamboo. The lot is six acres rectangular, where about
*one and a half* acres of the total acreage is covered by a very dense
stand of running bamboo. It is 350 feet long deep at its longest
dimension The plants have been there for decades, as the property was
allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. It is our intention to
restore the property, inside and out.

Options for removal I've seen generally target small areas. However
this is a much bigger problem! My first thought is to hire someone
with a bulldozer to come push it all down, and then put it all in a
commercial wood chipper. This could get expensive though. What else
can we do? What problems does my scenario present? Hiring a panda bear
would probably not go over well with the neighborhood.

The property is in Towson, Maryland.

Burning won't do much except make the bamboo grow back faster and
stronger. With six acres to tend you really need a decent sized
tractor anyway, something at least 40 HP. I already have the tractor
and a 5' tiller, also a 7' brush hog that depending on the bamboo
might knock it down. With the right equipment 1 1/2 acres is a
relatively small area for clearing. Were it me I might rent a flail
shredder. Then till, and rent a rake... with the tractor till deep
and then rake out the roots. You can hire an excavating company or
DIY. You don't indicate the type of bamboo; how thick/tall... photos
would help... it may need a crew with chain saws or a flail shredder
could do the job: http://www.woodsonline.com/flailShredders.aspx
This time of year a nearby farmer might do the job at a reasonable
price, I'd guestimate $2,000. But with bamboo there's no guarantee it
won't grow back... then I'd think you'd have to resort to a defolient,
probably several applications.