any thoughts/experiences on "girdling" for permant kill of mesquite trees?

would success be relative to size/age of tree?

I have a mini forest that grows each year. I'm not opposed to some of them, but someone must have tried to remove them at some point as these are more like shrubs than trees. I'm thinking about a few new chainsaw blades and see a smoking wood pile sale in my future....

Then at least I'll make something from them - a cash crop if you will.

We made a small rootplow to fit our tractor just pops the bushes right out of the ground. If they are too big you might try renting a backhoe and digging them out. Digging is the only sure way to get rid of them, but you have to get all the larger roots. Tractors beat grubbing hoes in getting them out. Kenny