AR Firebreak & Land Management LLC Write-up
In the rugged, densely forested Ozarks, regular land maintenance is a must. The region is characterized by rolling hills, deep valleys, and thick oak, pine, and cedar forests. Managing this landscape requires tough, dedicated people and quality, reliable equipment. One company tackling this challenge is AR Firebreak & Land Management LLC.
AR Firebreak & Land Management LLC. is a family owned and operated forestry and land management business based out of Yellville, AR. With three carriers and three FAE mulching heads, they serve all of Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri. Owner/operator Angel Rios spoke with us about the business and his experience with FAE equipment.
To start, Angel told us how he and his son got started in the forestry and land management business.
“[We] got started in the land management industry after our family bought our property, which was mainly unimproved other than a well and electric in place. We knew it needed a lot of work to really make it home for us, and so, in developing our homesite, we learned first hand how to improve accessibility for land owners [by] knocking down thick overgrowth to a more manageable state. That is a huge impact that we can make with [the services that we] provide. With our FAE drum mulchers we can leave a finish that will, in a matter of weeks, begin to start growing grass that only needs to be gone over with a zero turn to be kept maintained. We actually do quite a bit of storm clean up, logger clean ups and dozer deck clean ups as well.”
He went on to describe the wide range of applications they handle and how FAE equipment plays a critical role.
“We are based in a very rural part of Northern Arkansas so we do a ton of pasture reclamation projects, clearing fence rows, [and] residential yard reclamation. We [also] cut out trail systems and firebreaks, and do lots of storm and tornado clean up.
He told us how he first heard about FAE.
Angel explained that the company’s dedication to clear communication and speedy service is key to differentiating them from the competition.
“First and foremost, we hold communication in high regard from that initial [contact] with our customer. We value our time and our customers' time as well. We want our customer’s experience to be a positive one where they can look back and see that they got a great value and they made the right call coming to us. A lot of our business is customer education because forestry mulching is not as common in this region as your more common tractor with bush hog set up. Both have their place and in many cases, not all, but in many cases a forestry mulcher will be a more appropriate tool for the job.
“We are a father and son operation. We are so fortunate to have a great relationship with good values instilled in us, and we strive [to] let that sort of spill over into our business ethos. We show up and we focus on getting our customers results. We love what we do!”
Of course, the job comes with its share of challenges:
“Biggest challenges are on neglected, previously utilized pieces of land where we can and will find old farm equipment, whole vehicles, even pieces of a neighbor’s barn that had been blown over by past tornadoes.”
But the rewards are just as powerful. To Angel, one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is the way it allows him to benefit the lives of his customers. Of a recent job, he said,
“[I] had the pleasure of reclaiming a pasture that was maintained by a previous generation for a now younger generation for them to enjoy with their children. That job really gave me joy in seeing their reaction when all was said and done.”
When asked what it takes to be a competitor in this industry, Angel said, “Hold yourself accountable, treat your customer’s property as your own, [and] charge enough to keep the lights on for a couple rainy days so when things dry up you can show up!”
In conclusion, Angel had a message for anyone in need of forestry and land management services in the Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri area. ”We love what we do and look forward to hearing from you!”
