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Land Clearing Contractors in Boston, Massachusetts

Find land clearing contractors serving Boston for brush clearing, lot clearing, tree and stump removal, forestry mulching and full site clearing. Compare local companies, check which services each one offers, and contact them directly about your project.

Land Clearing Contractors Serving Boston

21 land clearing contractors serving Boston confirm on their own websites that they offer land clearing (checked October 2026). Each listing links to the page where the company describes the service, so you can check it yourself.

Land Clearing Services in Boston

ServiceBest for
Brush clearingOvergrown lots, fence lines, pasture recovery
Forestry mulchingBrush and small trees, with no debris to haul
Lot clearingMaking a residential lot buildable
Full clearing and grubbingRemoving trees, stumps and roots for construction
Selective clearingKeeping chosen trees on a wooded lot

How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in Boston?

Angi reports an average land clearing project cost of $3,780 in 2026, and HomeGuide estimates $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. These measure different things: one is per project, the other per acre. Stump removal, debris haul-off and grading are often priced separately. No published source gives a reliable Boston-specific average, so use these as national planning figures and get local quotes. See land clearing cost per acre for prices by vegetation, lot size and method.

Boston Permits and Local Rules

Clearing vegetation in the FEMA 100-year floodplain or within 100 feet of a wetland, stream, pond or coastal resource in Boston can require a filing with the Boston Conservation Commission under the state Wetlands Protection Act and the Boston Wetlands Ordinance.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Conservation Commission filing (Wetlands Protection Act and Boston Wetlands Ordinance)Work that removes, fills, dredges or alters areas in the FEMA 100-year floodplain or in or within 100 feet of a beach, creek, stream, river, pond, marsh or swamp may need a filing, and vegetation removal is listed as work that can trigger one. The local ordinance adds resource areas such as a 25-foot waterfront area, isolated vegetated wetlands, vernal pools and land subject to coastal storm flowage; plans must show existing trees 6 inches DBH or larger.Source
BWSC construction stormwater permit (1 acre or more)Boston Water and Sewer Commission requires a stormwater permit when total planned disturbance is one acre or more and stormwater is piped or discharged to Boston waterways or the storm drain system. Applicants obtain EPA general permit coverage, prepare a SWPPP, and file the Notice of Intent with EPA, copying BWSC, at least two days before clearing, grading or grubbing begins.Source
Public shade trees and street treesStreet trees are public shade trees protected by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87, and their removal goes through a public tree removal hearing run by the Parks Department’s Urban Forestry Division. Boston also has a Public Tree Ordinance (Chapter 14 of the Ordinances of 2023).Source
Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay District (Article 25A)Zoning Article 25A, adopted in October 2021, covers areas expected to flood in a 1% chance storm in 2070 with 40 inches of sea level rise and sets design flood elevations for new construction and retrofits. Review happens through the Article 80 process; applicability is set in section 25A-4.Source
Call 811 before diggingAnyone planning an excavation (defined broadly, including grading, backfilling and demolition, and even small jobs like setting a mailbox) must contact Dig Safe at least 72 business hours before digging; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays do not count. If a contractor does the work, the contractor must hold a valid ticket, though the owner may call on their behalf.Source
Construction stormwater permitEPA issues the NPDES construction general permit in Massachusetts. Coverage is required for construction that disturbs 1 acre or more, or less than 1 acre if part of a common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb 1 acre or more. Applicants file a Notice of Intent with EPA and also file through MassDEP’s EEA ePlace system with a copy of the EPA NOI (plus a MassDEP checklist near Outstanding Resource Waters, public water supplies or impaired waters). The 2022 CGP took effect February 17, 2022; EPA proposed a 2027 CGP in August 2026.Source
Burning cleared brushOpen burning season runs January 15 to May 1 and requires a permit issued in advance by the local fire department. Only listed agricultural-type materials may be burned, including brush, residential forestry debris, and trees and brush from agricultural land clearing; brush, trees, cane or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing may not be burned, and stumps may not be burned. Open burning is banned year-round in 22 communities, including Boston.Source

Confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county before work starts. See land clearing permits for a full checklist.

How to Choose a Land Clearing Contractor in Boston

Walk the property with each bidder or send the same marked site plan. Ask what happens to stumps and roots, whether debris is hauled, burned or mulched, who checks tree, grading and stormwater permits, and what condition the site will be in when the crew leaves. Compare written quotes for the same scope, not headline prices.

For background before you call, read the land clearing guide, land clearing cost per acre and land clearing permits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do land clearing contractors charge in Boston?

Published national figures are the best guide: Angi reports a $3,780 average project and HomeGuide $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. No reliable Boston-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Boston?

Boston has no general land-clearing permit that we could verify, but several approvals can apply. Clearing vegetation in the 100-year floodplain or within 100 feet of wetlands or water bodies can require a Conservation Commission filing, and disturbing one acre or more requires EPA construction general permit coverage plus a Boston Water and Sewer Commission stormwater permit. Removing a public street tree requires a public tree hearing.

Does land clearing include stump removal?

Not always. Some contractors grind or pull stumps as part of the job, others price them separately, and forestry mulching usually leaves stumps at or near ground level. Make sure the written quote says what happens to stumps.

Can I burn cleared brush in Boston?

Open burning season runs January 15 to May 1 and requires a permit issued in advance by the local fire department. Only listed agricultural-type materials may be burned, including brush, residential forestry debris, and trees and brush from agricultural land clearing; brush, trees, cane or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing may not be burned, and stumps may not be burned. Open burning is banned year-round in 22 communities, including Boston.

More Directories

Sources

Listings checked October 2026 against each company’s website. Prices are attributed national estimates, not Boston quotes. Permit summaries are a starting point; confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county.