Savannah, GA · Tree care
Land & Lot Clearing in Savannah, GA
Clearing a wooded lot in coastal Georgia is not just knocking everything down. Do it wrong and you strip the very trees that give the finished property its value, tear up a wetland buffer you were supposed to leave, or leave a stump field the builder can't work around.
We clear building lots, pasture, fence lines, and firebreaks across the Savannah area — selectively, keeping the healthy specimen oaks and pines you want to build around, or fully, down to grade for a slab. Every job starts with a free site walk so we agree on exactly what stays and what goes.
When You Need Lot Clearing
- Prepping a wooded parcel for a new home, shop, or driveway
- Opening up overgrown acreage for pasture, food plots, or fence lines
- Cutting firebreaks around structures on the wildland edge
- Removing invasive undergrowth, dead pines, and beetle-killed timber
- Clearing a defined footprint while protecting a wetland buffer or specimen trees
What's Included in Your Land Clearing
Every land & lot clearing job we quote spells out exactly what you get — no vague "tree work" line items. Here's what's covered:
- Selective clearing that keeps specified trees while removing the rest, or full clearing to bare ground
- Flagging and fencing keeper trees, marking root zones so equipment doesn't compact or wound them
- Establishing firebreaks and defensible space by thinning pine and clearing understory fuel
- Respecting marked wetland buffers and setbacks so protected areas stay untouched
- Stump grinding or removal across the cleared area so the lot is workable, not a field of hazards
- Debris chipped, burned where permitted, or hauled, leaving the lot graded-ready for the next crew
How Our Land Clearing Process Works
- 1
Free site walk & plan
We flag what stays and what goes, note wetland buffers and setbacks, and identify any trees that may need a permit before removal. You get a clear scope and a fixed price.
- 2
Selective vs. full clearing
For build sites we protect keeper trees and their root zones. For pasture or firebreaks we take it to grade. Either way, drainage and access are planned so the site is usable, not a mud pit.
- 3
Fell, process & mulch
Timber is felled and processed; brush and small stems are mulched on site or hauled. Merchantable logs can be decked for you or removed.
- 4
Grind & finish
Stumps are ground or removed to the depth the next phase needs, and the lot is left graded and clean for the builder.
What It Costs in the Savannah Area
Clearing is usually priced by the acre and by how heavily the land is wooded — older per-acre benchmarks in the region ran around $1,700 per acre for light work, but dense timber, big stumps, and haul-off change that quickly. A site walk is the only honest way to price it.
What drives the price:
- Acreage and density — scattered pines versus solid canopy and undergrowth
- Selective clearing (slower, protects keepers) versus full clearing to grade
- Stump grinding or full stump removal across the cleared area
- Whether timber is hauled off, mulched on site, or decked for you
- Access, terrain, wet ground, and distance for equipment
- Wetland buffers, permits, and erosion-control requirements
Areas We Cover
We provide land & lot clearing across Savannah and coastal Georgia, including:
Why Choose Tree Services Savannah GA for Land Clearing
- We clear to your site plan, protecting keeper oaks and buffers instead of flattening everything for speed
- Coastal-Georgia specialists who recognize wetland vegetation and setback lines that carry real penalties around here
- Equipment matched to the job, from mulching heads for brush to grapple and grinders for large stumps
- Written scope and free on-site walk so you know exactly what stays, what goes, and how debris is handled
Land Clearing FAQs — Savannah, GA
Yes — selective clearing is what protects a property's value. We flag and fence the specimen oaks and pines you want kept, protect their root zones from equipment, and clear around them. Tell us your keepers on the site walk.
Often, yes. Savannah's tree ordinance and county rules can require permits for clearing tied to development, and wetland buffers are strictly protected. We help you identify what applies before any equipment rolls.
Your choice: mulched on site to feed the soil, hauled off entirely, or merchantable logs decked for sale. Stumps are ground or removed to whatever depth your next phase needs.
Absolutely, and it's smart to. We flag your keepers, then fence off their root zones so machines don't compact the soil or gash the trunk and roots. Mature live oaks especially are worth protecting, and often protected by ordinance. Point out your favorites during the walkthrough and we build the clearing plan around them.
We treat marked wetlands and buffers as no-go zones and stay outside the setback with equipment. Low, saturated ground also gets timed for drier weather so machines don't rut and compact it. If your lot has areas you're unsure about, we flag them and recommend confirming boundaries before any blade touches them.
A standard quarter- to half-acre residential lot is often one to three days for cutting, then added time for stump grinding and debris. Density matters more than acreage: a lot packed with big pines and oak takes far longer than open scrub. Wet ground, buffers, and keeper-tree protection all add careful, deliberate time.
Related reading
How to Clear a Wooded Lot Before Building in Coastal Georgia
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Free estimates and 24/7 dispatch across Savannah, GA and coastal Georgia. Call (208) 635-2100.