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Land Clearing Contractors in Buffalo, New York

Find land clearing contractors serving Buffalo 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 Buffalo

21 land clearing contractors serving Buffalo 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 Buffalo

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 Buffalo?

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 Buffalo-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.

Buffalo Permits and Local Rules

In Buffalo, any development must keep on-site trees of 6 inches DBH or more unless a listed exception applies, and soil disturbance of one-quarter acre (10,890 sq ft) or more requires a SWPPP as part of site plan review.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
SWPPP for one-quarter acre of disturbanceUnder Green Code Sec. 7.3.1, any land development that disturbs one-quarter acre (10,890 sq ft) or more, or less if part of a larger plan of at least one-quarter acre, must submit a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan prepared to Buffalo Sewer Authority requirements as part of site plan review. Smaller projects must still manage stormwater but do not need a SWPPP.Source
Tree conservation in development (6-inch DBH)Green Code Sec. 7.1.3 requires development to conserve on-site established trees (6 inches DBH or more). One may be removed only if it blocks a structure with no feasible alternative location, is damaging a structure, is diseased or injured beyond restoration, or is dead or hazardous; removed trees trigger replacement requirements.Source
Trees over 10 inches on permitted projectsFor any action requiring a City permit that may destroy live trees, a site plan showing existing trees is required, and removing any tree over 10 inches in diameter needs express written permission from the Parks Commissioner (Sec. 467-8). Replacement trees of equal combined diameter, or a payment to the Buffalo Urban Forest Fund, are required.Source
Public trees and hauling excavated soilCutting or removing any tree on a public street, park or public property needs the Commissioner’s authorization (Sec. 467-3). Hauling excavated material through city streets requires a permit from the Commissioner of Public Works (Sec. 169-6).Source
Call 811 before diggingExcavators and contractors must contact New York 811 (online ITIC or by calling 811) at least two working days but no more than 10 days before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitNYSDEC issues SPDES General Permit GP-0-25-001 for construction stormwater (effective Jan 29, 2025, expires Jan 28, 2030). Coverage is required for soil disturbance of one or more acres; 5,000 sq ft or more in the NYC East of Hudson watershed; and, inside New York City, 20,000 sq ft or more (or 5,000 sq ft or more of new impervious area), including smaller parts of a larger common plan of development.Source
Burning cleared brushStatewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these rules.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 Buffalo

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 Buffalo?

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 Buffalo-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Buffalo?

It depends on the scope. Clearing that disturbs one-quarter acre (10,890 sq ft) or more needs a SWPPP as part of site plan review, and development must conserve trees of 6 inches DBH or more unless an exception applies. On any City-permitted project, removing a tree over 10 inches in diameter needs written permission from the Parks Commissioner, and street or park trees always need City authorization.

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 Buffalo?

Statewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these rules.

More Directories

Sources

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