What is the term used for using equipment like draglines and backhoes for vegetation management?

The term used for utilizing equipment such as draglines and backhoes for vegetation management is mechanical removal. This method involves the physical extraction or destruction of unwanted plant species using machinery, which can be particularly effective for managing large areas of invasive or unwanted vegetation in aquatic environments. Mechanical removal can quickly reduce the biomass of invasive plants, making it a practical approach in situations where other methods might be inefficient or impractical.

Unlike biological control, which relies on natural predators or agents to manage pests, or chemical control, which uses herbicides and pesticides, mechanical removal directly involves the use of physical tools and machinery. Hand harvesting, on the other hand, refers to the manual collection of plants and is not reliant on the type of heavy equipment mentioned in the question. Therefore, mechanical removal is the most appropriate term for the use of draglines and backhoes in vegetation management.