Last Updated: November 9, 2026
Quick Summary
Land that has sat for years often grows into thick cedar and brush that hides the ground, old fences and the trees worth keeping. Here is where to start.
- Decide what the land is for, then clear the cedar and brush on the ground you’ll use first.
- On a lot of overgrown land, cedar is most of what needs to go. Cut below the green, it doesn’t resprout from the stump.
- Mark corner pins, old wire and the trees you want kept.
- Ask the appraisal district about any ag or wildlife valuation before you change how the land is used.
- Forestry mulching runs $2,300 per day, and the price is agreed before work starts.
Table of Contents
- Decide What the Land Is For
- Find the Lines and the Way In
- How Much of It Is Cedar
- Mark the Trees You Want to Keep
- What’s Under the Brush
- Clear the Ground You’ll Use First
- Brush Close to the House
- Ag or Wildlife Valuation
- Cost-Share Timing
- What Clearing Will Cost
- Get a Free Quote Today
- Frequently Asked Questions
Decide What the Land Is For
Clearing overgrown property is easier to plan once you know what you want from it. You may have inherited family acreage, or you may own land nobody has worked in years. Either way, the first question is the same: what is the land for?
A homesite, a pasture, a place to hunt or a view each calls for different work. Pasture needs the cedar cleared so native grasses can come back. Land for hunting may keep more cover for wildlife.
You don’t need every answer yet. A rough plan is enough to start.
Find the Lines and the Way In
On long-neglected land, corner pins and old fences can be buried in brush. Find the pins if you can, mark them and know where the line runs. If the corners are missing or you’re unsure of the line, a survey settles it before clearing starts.
Then look at how a crew gets in. Our truck and trailer need an entry about 10 feet wide, and gates have to open. An old gate that’s rusted shut or grown in needs to be opened up before we arrive.
How Much of It Is Cedar
Cedar here is Ashe juniper, and it’s native to the Hill Country. Left alone, it spreads into open ground and around the oaks. On a lot of overgrown property, it’s most of what needs to go.
Cedar cut below the green does not resprout from the stump. New cedar comes back from seed, carried in by birds and wildlife that eat the berries, mostly from cedar standing nearby. A maintenance pass every few years keeps the regrowth small. Our cedar removal page covers how we clear it.
Mark the Trees You Want to Keep
For many owners, the old oaks are the best part of the land. On overgrown property, cedar has often grown up all around them.
Flag the oaks and any other trees you want kept with bright tape or flags. We clear around them. Keeping mature oaks is central to how we work. Our selective clearing page explains how we plan what stays.
While you’re out there, look for patches of dead or dying live oaks and for leaves with yellow to brown veins. Live oaks often share connected roots, and oak wilt can move through them. If you see these signs, have the trees checked. Texas A&M Forest Service advises against wounding or pruning oaks February through June.
What’s Under the Brush
Years of cedar and brush can hide old T-posts, barbed wire, septic lids, shallow water lines and underground electrical lines.
Walk what you can and mark what you find before we start. Tell us about anything you know is out there, even if you can’t reach it. Our project preparation checklist covers what to mark before a crew arrives.
Clear the Ground You’ll Use First
You don’t have to clear everything at once. Start with the cedar and brush where the land gets used: the way in, the area around the house or future homesite, and the pasture or trails you want back. The rest can come later.
For ground that will stay in grass or trees, forestry mulching grinds cedar, brush and small trees in place into a mulch layer. There are no burn piles and no haul-off. The mulch protects thin, rocky soil, holds moisture and slows regrowth.
Ground that needs bare dirt, such as a house pad, slab or driveway, is dozer work. A dozer removes stumps and roots, and the debris usually gets hauled off. Our land clearing page explains that side of the work.
Brush Close to the House
If there’s a house on the land, thick cedar and brush around it is heavy fuel. Clearing it back reduces wildfire risk.
For the first 5 feet around the house, Texas A&M Forest Service recommends rock or other noncombustible cover instead of wood mulch. Our wildfire mitigation page covers how we clear around homes.
Ag or Wildlife Valuation
If the property has an agricultural or wildlife appraisal for property taxes, ask the county appraisal district what it takes to keep it before you change how the land is used.
The Texas Comptroller notes that changing land to a non-agricultural use can trigger a rollback tax.
Cost-Share Timing
Some landowners apply to the Texas A&M Forest Service Mechanical Fuel Reduction (MFR) grant or NRCS EQIP Practice 314 for brush management. If you might, timing matters.
Work done before the MFR pre-inspection, or before an EQIP contract is signed, isn’t paid. If you plan to apply, don’t start clearing first. Our grants page lays out what each program requires.
What Clearing Will Cost
Forestry mulching and cedar removal run $2,300 per day, one rate across the Texas Hill Country. On flat ground with light brush, we can mulch up to about 3 acres per day. In larger, mature cedar in dense thickets on rocky, hilly ground, we mulch about half an acre per day.
The diameter and height of the trees you choose to remove, surface rock and slope have a big effect on how much we can mulch in a day. They also drive fuel use and wear on the mulching teeth and the loader’s tracks, which is part of why the work costs what it does. We plan the work around the terrain and price for it before we start.
You can choose a project price or our day rate. Either way, the price is agreed before work starts. Financing is available for projects over 10 acres. An owner walks the property before any contract is signed.
Get a Free Quote Today
Overgrown land is easier to take on in pieces. Decide what it’s for, find the lines and the way in, mark what stays, and start with the cedar and brush on the ground you’ll use.
To get a quote, click “Get a Free Quote Today” and submit your project details first, then a few photos of the property. We typically reply within minutes. You can also call or text us at (512) 641-5658.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start with overgrown property?
Start by deciding what the land is for. Then find the property lines and the way in, mark what you want kept, and clear the ground you’ll use first.
How much does it cost to clear overgrown property?
Forestry mulching and cedar removal run $2,300 per day. We can mulch up to about 3 acres per day on flat ground with light brush and about half an acre per day in larger, mature cedar in dense thickets on rocky, hilly ground.
Do I have to clear the whole property at once?
No. You can start with the ground you’ll use first and clear the rest later.
What should I mark before a crew arrives?
Mark corner pins, old T-posts, barbed wire, septic lids, shallow water lines, underground electrical lines and the trees you want kept.
Will cedar grow back after clearing?
Cedar cut below the green won’t resprout from the stump, but new cedar comes back from seed. A maintenance pass every few years keeps it small.
Should I check the ag valuation before clearing?
Yes. Ask the county appraisal district what it takes to keep an agricultural or wildlife appraisal before you change how the land is used. Changing land to a non-agricultural use can trigger a rollback tax.
