Land clearing · Old Fort & Polk County
Land clearing services in Old Fort, TN
Forestry mulching and selective clearing built for steep, rocky Southern Appalachian ground. Free walk-through.
If your Polk County property backs up to the Cherokee National Forest or looks out toward the Ocoee River, you already know how fast Southern Appalachia reclaims open ground. A cleared building pad can be waist-deep in privet and blackberry canes again within two seasons, and steep, rocky lots near Ball Play don’t forgive careless equipment work. R&G Land Clearing LLC provides land clearing in Old Fort, TN and throughout the surrounding 100-mile service area, using forestry mulching and selective clearing methods suited to this terrain rather than a one-size-fits-all bulldozer approach. Whether you’re prepping a home site, opening up pasture, or reclaiming a wooded lot along the Ocoee, we handle it as a licensed, and insured crew. Call (706) 483-3851 for a free estimate, or reach out online to schedule a walk-through.
What land clearing actually involves
Land clearing is the removal of trees, brush, stumps, and undergrowth to make a wooded or overgrown lot usable again, and in the rocky, mixed-hardwood terrain around Old Fort the right method depends on what the land is being cleared for. R&G Land Clearing starts with a walk of the property to flag any trees worth saving, mark utility lines, and decide whether forestry mulching or full clearing with grubbing and hauling fits the job. For overgrown lots, invasive brush, and firebreak work, we run a mulching head — a rotating drum fitted with carbide teeth — mounted on a skid steer or excavator that shreds standing brush and trees up to roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter into mulch left on-site, which cuts erosion on slopes and skips the cost of hauling debris. For building pads or full lot clearing, we pair that with an excavator to grub stumps and root balls, and on tight or awkward ground our crew still finishes with chainsaws and hand-clearing — the same way we’ve handled thick honeysuckle and briar on properties too tricky for machines alone. What starts as an impassable, brush-choked lot becomes a graded, walkable property ready for a home site, pasture, pond, or driveway, with the debris handled and the ground left in usable condition, not torn up.
How it works
Our land clearing process
5 steps, and you only make the first call. Ronald handles the rest.
Free site walk & estimate
We start with a no-cost visit to your property to see the terrain, the density of the growth, and what you want the land used for afterward — pasture, a home site, a pond, or simply access. We walk the boundary with you, flag any trees you want to keep, and note any slope, drainage, or rock outcropping that will affect equipment choice. You leave that visit with a written estimate and a realistic timeline, not a guess over the phone.
Utility locates & access planning
Before any machine touches the ground, we file a Tennessee 811 locate request so gas, water, and underground utility lines are marked and avoided. We also plan the access route for equipment, since much of the ground around Old Fort and the Ocoee River valley is steep enough that the wrong approach angle means unnecessary erosion or a stuck machine. This planning step is what keeps a job on schedule instead of stalling halfway through.
Mulching, cutting & selective clearing
Our crew brings in a skid steer or excavator fitted with a forestry mulching head for standing brush, saplings, and mid-size timber, grinding it into mulch that stays on-site rather than in a burn pile. Larger trees, tight corners, and anything near a structure or fence line get cut by hand with a chainsaw so we’re not risking damage a machine can’t avoid. This combination clears a mixed hardwood lot in a fraction of the time old-school cut-and-burn methods take.
Stump grubbing, grading & debris handling
For building pads, driveways, or pasture, we follow mulching with excavator work to grub stumps and root balls out of the ground rather than leaving them to rot and sink later. Cleared debris that isn’t left as mulch — fencing, downed limbs too large to grind, construction debris — gets hauled and disposed of responsibly, so you’re not left arranging a separate cleanup. The site gets graded to shed water correctly instead of pooling against the new open ground.
Final walkthrough & site handoff
We walk the property with you at the end of the job to confirm it matches what you asked for, whether that’s a specimen tree still standing or a sightline you wanted opened up. Any last brush piles or debris get pointed out and handled before we call it finished. You’re left with a usable, graded lot — ready to build on, fence, plant, or simply enjoy — instead of a job that’s “mostly done.”
Service area
Serving Old Fort and the surrounding area
R&G Land Clearing’s crews work lots throughout Polk County — from wooded acreage along TN-30 near Ocoee and Reliance to overgrown home sites closer to Benton and out toward Turtletown and Ducktown. Because so much of this ground borders the Cherokee National Forest, we regularly deal with mixed hardwood stands, steep grades, and the rocky soil that comes with the Chilhowee and Unaka mountain ranges — conditions that call for mulching equipment rather than a bulldozer that just pushes the problem downhill. Beyond Polk County, our crews travel throughout the 100-mile service area into Chattanooga, Cleveland, and Ringgold and Chatsworth, Georgia, for landowners who need the same forestry mulching and clearing approach on a larger scale. Visit our homepage to see the full range of services we bring to every property in the region.
Many land clearing jobs lead straight into other work. If your project also involves tearing down an old structure, see our full residential demolition and garage & shed removal pages, or if you just need the site hauled off afterward, our site cleanup & hauling service covers that too.
- Old Fort, TN
- Cleveland, TN
- Chattanooga, TN
- Benton, TN
- Knoxville / Maryville / Alcoa, TN
- Chatsworth, GA
- Ringgold, GA
Why R&G
Why Old Fort landowners choose R&G Land Clearing
R&G Land Clearing is licensed, and insured, and every job — from a half-acre home site to a multi-acre pasture reclaim — is run by an owner-operator who’s out on the equipment himself, not a rotating crew dispatched by a call center. That matters on the kind of terrain found around Old Fort, where steep grades and rock outcroppings punish operators who don’t know the ground. Learn more about our team and how each property gets approached differently based on what’s actually growing on it.
We default to forestry mulching wherever it fits, because grinding brush and small trees in place avoids the erosion risk of bulldozing and skips a separate debris-hauling trip — a distinction University of Tennessee Extension’s forestry program also draws when comparing clearing methods on erosion-prone or wooded ground. For lots overtaken by invasive species like privet, kudzu, or bush honeysuckle, we also follow guidance from the Tennessee Invasive Plant Council on cutting and mulching approaches that keep regrowth from coming back thicker than before.
Every estimate is free, and as a locally based crew available 24/7, we can typically get a quote turned around and a job started within a week rather than the month-long backlog some larger outfits carry. Veterans, active military, first responders, and senior citizens receive 10% off every job.
Google reviews
What our customers say about our land clearing
Everything was cleared exactly how I wanted, sooner than originally scheduled and at a very reasonable price. I definitely plan to use R&G again
Ronnie and Glenda came down to Illinois to do a land clearing job & demolition job for me also they cleared a couple acres of invasive honey suckle brush. Ronnie was meticulous and conscience about everything. He was a superior equipment operator. I really liked that he made sure I was happy with the job. Also he had to use a chain saw in a lot areas and removed a lot of brush by hand. Would definitely recommend them was very pleased with them.
I called them to clear a spot for my tiny home! They did a great job and have great prices! They also do a good job cleaning up after the job is done. Call them they are amazing company and very down to earth people and great at what they do!
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Didn't find your question? Call or text Ronald at (706) 483-3851, or see all FAQs.
What's the difference between land clearing and forestry mulching?
Land clearing typically means removing all vegetation and debris down to bare ground, which is common when prepping a site for construction. Forestry mulching grinds standing brush and trees into mulch that stays on the ground, which controls erosion, skips hauling costs, and works well for opening up overgrown pasture or wooded lots without stripping the ground bare. R&G Land Clearing uses whichever method — or combination of both — fits what the land will be used for afterward.
Do I need a permit for land clearing in Polk County?
Most residential land clearing on private property doesn’t require a county permit on its own. If any cleared debris will be burned on-site, though, Tennessee requires a Division of Forestry burn permit between October 15 and May 15 each year, and larger land-clearing burns need a phone-in permit regardless of season. We handle debris through mulching and hauling rather than burning in most cases, which avoids this altogether.
How much does land clearing cost in Old Fort, TN?
Land clearing pricing depends on acreage, terrain, vegetation density, whether stump removal is needed, site accessibility, and overall project scope. Smaller mulching-only jobs cost less than full property clearing with grubbing and grading. Every estimate is free and project-specific — the best way to get an accurate price is to schedule a free on-site walk-through where Ronald can assess your property’s specific conditions.
Will land clearing damage my property or nearby trees?
Not when it’s planned correctly. We flag specimen trees you want to keep before any equipment moves, and forestry mulching in particular is less disruptive to soil and nearby root systems than bulldozing, since it doesn’t uproot everything in its path.
How long does a typical land clearing job take?
A residential lot of a few acres with moderate brush usually takes one to three days depending on density and terrain; larger multi-acre jobs or heavily wooded ground can take longer. We give you a realistic timeline at the estimate, not just a start date.
What happens to the trees and brush that get cleared?
Material processed with our mulching equipment stays on-site as mulch, which helps control erosion and can be spread where you want ground cover. Larger debris, downed limbs too big to mulch, and anything you want hauled away is handled and disposed of responsibly as part of the job.
Services
Often paired on the same property
One owner-operated crew for clearing, demolition and pool removal, so a property that needs more than one gets one plan and one estimate.
Forestry mulchingBrush and trees up to 6–8 inches ground in place. No burn piles.Learn about forestry mulching 
DemolitionHouses, mobile homes, garages and sheds torn down and hauled off.Learn about demolition 
Pool removalFull removal or fill-in, backfilled and compacted in layers.Learn about pool removal
Let's take a look at your property.
Tell Ronald what you want done. He'll come walk it with you, free and with no obligation.
10% off for military, veterans, law enforcement, first responders and seniors