--- title: "How to Choose a Land Clearing Contractor | Zeigler Tree & Timber" url: https://zeiglertree.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-land-clearing-contractor/ --- [Tree care guides](https://zeiglertree.com/blog/) # How to Choose a Land Clearing Contractor on the Northshore By Zeigler Tree & Timber · October 22, 2026 You have a lot to build on, a pasture to open up, or a tract that has grown over. Clearing it is the easy part to picture and the hard part to get right: what comes out, what stays, what happens to the stumps and the debris, and what is under the ground before the machines arrive. Settle those with the contractor before you sign. ## Start with the land, not the bulldozer ### Is any of it wet? Low, wet ground on the Northshore can be regulated wetland. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Section 404 of the Clean Water Act “requires a permit before dredged or fill material may be discharged into waters of the United States, unless the activity is exempt.” If part of your lot holds water, ask your parish and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before clearing, not after. ### What is buried there? Louisiana’s damage prevention law requires “excavators and demolishers to call a regional notification center at least two full business days before they begin their work,” according to Louisiana 811, and “our service is free to everyone.” Grinding stumps and grading both move soil. Ask the contractor who makes the call and when. ## 7 questions to ask a land clearing contractor 1. **“What is your Louisiana arborist license number?”** The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry says “arborist licenses are required if you work on trees for a fee,” including tree removal. Zeigler’s is LDAF License #2168. 2. **“Can I see your certificate of insurance?”** Heavy equipment on your land is your risk until the contractor’s policy covers it. Zeigler hands over a certificate of insurance on request, before work begins. 3. **“Which trees stay?”** Walk the lot together and mark the keepers. A good scope names them. 4. **“What happens to the stumps?”** Ground below grade, pulled out, or left: each one leaves different ground to build or plant on. 5. **“Where does the debris go?”** Hauled off, chipped on site, or piled: get it in the quote. 6. **“Who calls 811, and do you check for wetlands?”** The answer tells you whether the contractor plans the job or just shows up with a machine. 7. **“Is cleanup in the written price?”** At Zeigler, complete cleanup is included in every quote. ## Match the equipment to the job A single homesite among standing trees needs a crew that can drop trees without hitting the ones you are keeping. A full tract needs machines that can move volume. Ask what equipment the contractor will bring and how it will reach the work. Zeigler runs crane, bucket and grapple equipment and clears land from a single homesite to full-tract work. ## Red flags - No written boundary or list of trees that stay. - No answer on stumps or debris until after the job starts. - “We don’t need to call anyone” about utilities or wet ground. - No license number or certificate of insurance. ## Get a land clearing quote Call **985-893-0991** or text photos of the lot. We serve all of St. Tammany Parish, the Northshore, the Southshore and Baton Rouge from our yards in Madisonville and Covington, and the written quote is free. ## Frequently asked questions **Who do you hire to clear land?** A licensed, insured contractor with the equipment for your lot size. In Louisiana, removing trees for a fee requires an arborist license from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Zeigler clears land from a single homesite to full-tract work. **Do I need a permit to clear land in Louisiana?** It depends on the land. If the work puts fill into wetlands or other waters of the United States, the U.S. EPA says Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires a permit unless the activity is exempt. Check with your parish and with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before clearing a low or wet lot. **Do I have to call 811 before land clearing?** Louisiana law requires excavators to notify the regional notification center at least two full business days before digging, according to Louisiana 811. The service is free. Ask your contractor who makes the call. **What should a land clearing quote include?** The boundaries of the area, which trees stay, what happens to stumps, where the debris goes, and whether cleanup is included. Get it in writing. **Does Zeigler do land clearing?** Yes, from a single homesite to full-tract work, with a free written quote before any work begins. ## Get a free written quote Call or text a photo to 985-893-0991. Office hours Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM. [Call 985-893-0991](tel:+19858930991) [Text a photo](sms:+19858930991) [Request a quote](https://zeiglertree.com/#quote) ## Sources - [U.S. EPA: Permit Program under CWA Section 404](https://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/permit-program-under-cwa-section-404) - [Louisiana 811: Louisiana Damage Prevention Law Requirements](https://www.louisiana811.com/) - [Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry: Arborist Licensing](https://www.ldaf.la.gov/land/arborists)