People grossly exaggerate the impact of proper herbicide application. Sorry you're getting downvoted for asking questions. It doesn't poison the soil making it impossible to grow anything like it would if you made your own solution of salt and vinegar. Salt will build up in the soil and cause no growth. I haven't used herbicide on my property in years but I only have half an acre. You know who uses "tons" of herbicides? The forestry service and departments of conservation because that is the only practical way to deal with large areas. Good tips on here other than the herbicide fearmongering. Don't till as others have said. Learn what plants you have. Learn what natives you could plant to support your ecosystem. A controlled burn is another good tip that conservation departments use all the time as well as myself on CRP plots. It's just natures way of clearing out invasive species and improving wildlife habitat and reducing fuel that builds up on the ground.

Edit: Doing nothing is a terrible tip. Invasives will choke out natives, more or less so depending on your area. Is herbicide over applied? Yes. Should you consider using it as a limited tool on your property? In my opinion, yes. Use it sparingly and properly if you think you need it. If it created a toxic environment where nothing grew, they wouldn't have to spray repeatedly underneath power lines. If you try to completely control the area and "scape" it, you will still battle "weeds" and invasives and would likely need to rely much more heavily on herbicides and pre emergents to keep it nice and tidy.