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Land Clearing Contractors in Providence, Rhode Island

Find land clearing contractors serving Providence 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 Providence

23 land clearing contractors serving Providence 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 Providence

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 Providence?

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 Providence-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.

Providence Permits and Local Rules

In Providence, no tree 32 inches or more in diameter, on public or private land, may be removed without the City Forester’s permission.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Significant Tree preservationTrees 32 inches or more in diameter (at 4.5 feet) are protected on both public and private land and may not be removed without prior permission of the City Forester, who decides within 30 days. Unauthorized removal brings a fine based on the tree’s appraised value or the state maximum.Source
Tree canopy coverage and tree protection during developmentNo development or tree cutting may reduce trees below the Article 15 requirement; full canopy rules (30% of lot area in residential districts, 15% in most others) apply when development disturbs more than 50% of a lot or builds a new principal building in R-1A to R-3/RP districts. Construction may not trench through roots, change grade within the dripline or compact soil around retained trees.Source
Tree Work Permit for city treesA free permit from the Forestry Division is required before pruning, removing, digging or trenching near, or planting a city (right-of-way) tree; fines apply if city trees are damaged or removed without permission.Source
Flood zone managementThe Planning Department is the City’s designated floodplain management agency and administers the Special Flood Hazard Area regulations in the Zoning Ordinance and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps.Source
Call 811 before diggingR.I. Gen. Laws § 39-1.2-5: any person, public agency or utility excavating within 100 feet of a utility facility must notify Dig Safe at least 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) but not more than 30 days before starting; excavation must begin within 30 days of the notice.Source
Construction stormwater permitRIDEM’s Office of Water Resources issues the RIPDES Construction General Permit. Coverage is needed for disturbance over one acre, or for smaller projects that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale disturbing one acre or more in total. The reissued permit runs until September 26, 2026, with reissuance planned for a five-year term to September 2031.Source
Burning cleared brushRIDEM Air Pollution Control Regulation Part 4 (Open Fires) allows burning of combustible material only by written exemption from the RIDEM Director after showing no practical alternative (such as chipping, cutting for forest products or landfilling), with local fire official and municipal approval, during good ventilation and without nuisance. Homeowners burning on their own property with no commercial activity fall under local ordinances instead.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 Providence

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 Providence?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Providence?

For trees, often yes. Providence protects any tree 32 inches or more in diameter on public or private land, and removing one requires the City Forester’s permission; any work on a city right-of-way tree needs a free Tree Work Permit. Larger developments must meet Article 15 tree canopy requirements, and sites disturbing more than an acre need RIDEM Construction General Permit coverage.

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 Providence?

RIDEM Air Pollution Control Regulation Part 4 (Open Fires) allows burning of combustible material only by written exemption from the RIDEM Director after showing no practical alternative (such as chipping, cutting for forest products or landfilling), with local fire official and municipal approval, during good ventilation and without nuisance. Homeowners burning on their own property with no commercial activity fall under local ordinances instead.

More Directories

Sources

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