Overgrown land, cleared and left clean. Priced by the acre, in writing.
Forestry mulching turns brush, cedar, privet and saplings into a mulch layer in a single pass. No burn piles, no hauling, no torn-up ground, and usually no grading permit. We work only in Rutherford County, so we're close when you call.
Estimate from your phone with a few photos. Final price after a free walk-through.
One machine, most of the jobs a new piece of land needs
Land and lot clearing
Homesite prep, view clearing, clearing around a barn or shop pad, opening up an overgrown lot before the builder shows up.
Forestry mulching
Underbrush, cedar thickets, privet and honeysuckle, saplings, storm-downed limbs. Selective: we take out what you point at and leave the hardwoods.
Pasture and field reclamation
Fields that went to cedar and briar over ten years, brought back to something you can bush hog and fence.
Fence lines, trails, and shooting lanes
Clean fence rows so a fence can actually go in, walking and ATV trails through the woods, lanes and food plots on hunting land.
Brush and invasive removal
Privet, bush honeysuckle, and autumn olive taken to the ground so you can treat the stumps and win the property back.
Right-of-way and drainage
Driveway and utility easements, ditch lines, pond banks, and access cuts for other trades.
What land clearing costs per acre in Rutherford County
Most companies make you call for a quote. Here is the range we work from. What moves a job inside the range is how thick it is, how big the stems are, how easy it is to get a machine to it, and how rough the ground is. Small jobs carry a minimum because setup and travel are the same whether it's a half acre or five.
| What's growing | Per acre | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| LightGrass gone to weeds, briars, saplings under 2 inches | $1,200 | Field edges, lots that were mowed a few years ago |
| MediumBrush, privet, cedar and stems up to 4 inches | $1,800 | Most Rutherford County jobs land here |
| HeavyDense thicket, stems to 8 inches, storm debris | $2,500 | Cedar glades that haven't been touched in 15+ years |
| Mature timberTrees over 8 inches | Walk-through | Usually a mix of mulching and tree work; priced on site |
Minimum job $1,500. Tight access, steep or rocky ground, and jobs under an acre add 10–25%. Every estimate shows the math.
Rutherford County. That's the whole list.
We don't drive in from Franklin or Lebanon. Staying inside the county means we can walk your property this week, come back for the small second pass without charging a mobilization fee, and we know which roads a trailer fits down.
Owned and operated in Lascassas
Rutherford Land Clearing is a small, locally owned outfit. The person you talk to on the phone is the person on the machine. We're licensed and insured, we show up when we say we will, and we send the estimate in writing before we start.
If you just bought acreage here and don't know who to call, start with us. We'll tell you plainly whether your job is a mulching job, a tree job, or a dirt job, even if that means sending you to someone else.
Before you call
Do I need a permit to clear my land?
Rutherford County requires a land disturbance permit for clearing, grading or excavation over one acre, and the state requires coverage above the same threshold. Forestry mulching leaves the root mat and soil in place, which is not grading, and agricultural work is exempt. We'll confirm what applies to your parcel before we start and tell you if you need to call Planning and Engineering.
What happens to the stumps?
The mulcher grinds them flush with or slightly below the ground and leaves the roots. That's what keeps the soil from washing. If you need stumps pulled for a foundation or a septic field, that's excavation work, and we'll say so up front.
How much can you clear in a day?
Roughly one to three acres, depending on how thick it is. Light brush goes fast; a cedar thicket that hasn't been touched in twenty years is closer to an acre a day.
Will it kill the privet and honeysuckle?
Mulching takes it to the ground and sets it back hard, but privet and bush honeysuckle will resprout from the stump unless the cut stumps are treated. We'll show you how, or do a follow-up pass.
Can you leave the big trees?
Yes. That's the point of mulching over bulldozing. Flag the ones you want kept, or walk it with us, and we clear around them.
How accurate is the online estimate?
It's a range from your photos and the area you mark, and on most jobs the final price lands inside it. The walk-through is free and is where we give you the firm number.
Get a number today
Run the estimate from your phone, or call and text photos to (615) 439-5260.