Land & Lot Clearing in Ocala, FL

Land and lot clearing around Ocala usually means opening up ground that has grown in: a wooded homesite in one of the large-lot developments, a pasture edge where pines and laurel oaks have crept over the fence, or a back acre that has filled with brush, vines and dead trees. Marion County has more than 1,200 horse farms, so fence-line and paddock work is a big part of it. The aim is rarely to scrape everything flat; it is to remove what is in the way and keep the healthy trees that give the property value and shade.

Selective clearing

Before anything is cut, we walk the property with you and mark what stays. Healthy live oaks are usually worth keeping, as are well-placed longleaf pines. Laurel oaks with decay, dead or beetle-killed pines, and thickets of invasive plants such as camphor tree are typical removals. Trees that will stand close to a new house or driveway need their root zones protected during clearing, because heavy equipment compacting the soil over roots can kill a tree years later.

Fence lines and pastures

Trees and limbs that fall on fences cost money and let horses out. Clearing a strip along the fence, taking out dead pines that could land on it, and raising oak limbs that hang into paddocks lowers the risk. Wilted leaves from some trees are toxic to horses (red maple and wild cherry are commonly cited), so removing those from pasture edges is a common request.

Rules to check

Clearing for a new building, a driveway or a farm improvement can involve permits and tree rules that do not apply to ordinary yard work. Inside city limits that means the City of Ocala, whose tree removal permit covers trees 4 inches and up in diameter and requires replacement trees. In unincorporated Marion County, a Growth Services permit is required before site clearing or grading tied to construction that needs a building permit; the stand-alone tree removal application costs $50, asks for a site plan showing native trees 10 inches DBH and larger, and sets replacement ratios that rise with trunk size. Removal on a single-family homesite, trees under 10 inches, dead trees and listed invasive species are exempt. Wetlands, which are common near the county's lakes and rivers, are regulated separately. We point out anything that looks like it needs a permit, and you or your builder confirm with the right office before work begins.