Trees we'd chopped in small areas of land (8)
I believe the answer is:
redwoods
'trees' is the definition.
(type of tree)
'we'd chopped in small areas of land' is the wordplay.
'chopped' is an anagram indicator (letters chopped or smashed up).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'small areas of land' becomes 'roods' (rood was a historical measure of land).
'wed' is an anagram of 'edw'.
'edw' going within 'roods' is 'REDWOODS'.
(Other definitions for redwoods that I've seen before include "Giant trees" , "Tall sequoia trees" .)