Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in East Fallowfield, PA
In East Fallowfield, no more than 30 percent of moderately steep slopes (15 to 25 percent grade) may be cleared or disturbed.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in East Fallowfield, PA. In East Fallowfield, no more than 30 percent of moderately steep slopes (15 to 25 percent grade) may be cleared or disturbed, and permitted activities may disturb no more than 15 percent of very steep slopes. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the East Fallowfield code says
East Fallowfield covers about 15.5 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 13 miles from our Chadds Ford base. These are the town rules that most often shape a clearing, mulching or grading scope here, quoted from the code itself.
- 1.
30 percent of moderately steep slopes
Section 27-1402 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Natural Resource Protection Standards reads: “Where construction of roads, buildings, driveways, or infrastructure cannot be avoided, disturbance shall be kept to the minimum necessary and, in no case, shall it exceed the following permitted disturbance limits: (a) Moderately Steep Slopes (15% to 25% grade), no more than 30% of moderately steep slopes shall be regraded, cleared, built upon, or otherwise altered or disturbed.”
- 2.
15 percent of very steep slopes
Section 27-1402 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Natural Resource Protection Standards reads: “In no case shall these permitted activities disturb more than 15% of very steep slopes.”
- 3.
Woodland replacement trigger
Section 22-630 of the Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 6 Design Standards reads: “Woodland replacement in accordance with Subsection 3, below, shall be required wherever permitted woodland disturbance on any lot or tract involves more than 20,000 square feet of woodland area or disturbance to more than 25% of any woodland area, whichever is less.”
- 4.
Selective cutting only
Section 27-1402 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Natural Resource Protection Standards reads: “Timber harvesting shall only be permitted within the allowable 20% disturbance limitation and shall be restricted to selective cutting.”
- 5.
Riparian buffer up to 80 feet
Section 27-1402 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Natural Resource Protection Standards reads: “In cases where Zone One extends beyond 35 feet due to the presence of very steep slopes, the width of Zone Two shall be adjusted so that the total riparian buffer width equals a maximum width of 80 feet.”
Offices for a East Fallowfield site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | East Fallowfield Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
East Fallowfield questions, answered
Can steep slopes be cleared or graded in East Fallowfield?
No more than 30 percent of moderately steep slopes (15 to 25 percent grade) may be cleared or disturbed (Section 27-1402).
Does East Fallowfield limit woodland clearing?
Replacement planting is required past 20,000 square feet or 25 percent of a woodland, whichever is less (Section 22-630).
Cost, permits and the ground
Code summaries are general guidance, not legal advice; Huntly confirms the rules that apply to each parcel before work.
What shapes the cost of land clearing in East Fallowfield, PA?
Density and stem size, ground and terrain, access and staging, finish standard, resource plan, stewardship and schedule. Haul-off of non-organic debris, stump grinding below grade, permits and licensed applications are quoted as separate visible lines. Every job is priced in writing after a private site walk, and the walk carries no charge inside the service region.
Do I need a permit for land clearing in East Fallowfield, PA?
Often. Pennsylvania requires a written erosion and sediment control plan for earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more (25 Pa. Code § 102.4), and the Chester County Conservation District reviews plans and NPDES coverage for larger disturbances. The East Fallowfield rules on this page come on top of that. Whether a mulching-only scope counts as earth disturbance is a question for the township and the district, and we confirm it for each parcel before work.
Is forestry mulching better than bulldozing?
For most brush and small-tree work, yes. Mulching leaves roots in the ground and a chip layer on the surface, so slopes stay put, stream-adjacent ground stays stable, and there are no burn piles or haul-off loads. A buildable surface, root-ball removal, grading or drainage work may call for a broader clearing or excavation plan.
More about East Fallowfield Township, Chester County, PA
Regulatory notes are general guidance; Huntly confirms the rules that apply to each site before work.
Who approves land clearing or earth disturbance in East Fallowfield Township?
The Chester County Conservation District reviews erosion and sediment plans under delegated authority. Its FAQ says disturbance over 5,000 square feet needs a written plan, and one acre or more needs a plan the District reviews, plus an NPDES permit. East Fallowfield Township also has its own permit and zoning rules, so start with the municipal office. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in East Fallowfield Township?
Pennsylvania burning rules are set by each municipality. Huntly found no posted burning rule for East Fallowfield Township online. Call the municipal office at 610-384-7144 or the local fire company before lighting anything. Huntly's mulch-in-place method grinds brush where it stands, so it needs no burn permit and leaves no smoke. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What grows wild and takes over land around East Fallowfield Township?
Typical for Chester County: multiflora rose, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. They fill fence lines, old pastures and woodland edges fast. Huntly's forestry mulcher clears the thickets, and the stumps and regrowth plan is quoted in writing after the site walk.
Is there cost-share money for clearing invasives in East Fallowfield Township?
There can be. USDA NRCS EQIP, run through the Chester County USDA service center, cost-shares brush management by mechanical means for large shrubs (practice 314); the per-acre rate is set each year in the Pennsylvania payment schedule, so ask the district conservationist for the current figure. The Chester County Conservation District may also run programs. Eligibility and enrollment are set by those agencies, and Huntly does not file the application for you. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve East Fallowfield Township, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes. East Fallowfield Township sits inside Huntly's Brandywine Valley service region, based in Chadds Ford. The site walk is free. After the walk, every job gets a fixed price in writing, with mobilization shown on the estimate if the haul is long. Call (484) 486-7272 or email hello@huntlyland.com. Hours are Mon to Sat 8 to 4.
Do I need a permit or special timing to cut trees in East Fallowfield Township?
As general guidance for Pennsylvania, tree cutting is commonly timed Oct 1 to Mar 31 to avoid roosting bats. Pennsylvania Chapter 102 sets a written erosion plan at 5,000 square feet of disturbance and an NPDES permit at one acre. Mulching often disturbs less soil than grading does. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly need to be registered to work in East Fallowfield Township?
Pennsylvania requires contractors doing home improvement work for owners to register with the Attorney General's office. Huntly Land Co. is operated by Huntly Land Co. LLC. Ask for the registration number and proof of insurance before signing any land clearing contract, in East Fallowfield Township or anywhere else. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Who do I call in East Fallowfield Township after a storm knocks down trees?
Call Huntly's 24/7 storm line at (484) 486-7272 for downed trees blocking lanes, fields and fence lines. We clear with a grapple and low-ground-pressure tracks. If a tree is on a house or on power lines, call a tree service or the utility first; we handle the cleanup after.
Official site: eastfallowfield.org
Sources: chesco.org (ErosionStormwater) · chesco.org (Faq) · eastfallowfield.org · dep.pa.gov (default) · nrcs-prod.azureedge.us (PA Bulletin 440 26 06 PA Published Cost List and Payment caps for FY 26) · attorneygeneral.gov (home improvement contractor registration)
Where these facts come from
Sources: East Fallowfield Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Natural Resource Protection Standards, Section 27-1402 · East Fallowfield Township Code, Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 6 Design Standards, Section 22-630 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in East Fallowfield can need a sediment and stormwater plan or a local approval. Start here:
Send us the details.
hello@huntlyland.comSend the town, rough acreage and two or three photographs. We reply by email with site-walk times, and a written scope follows the walk.
Office hours Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On call 24/7 for storm and emergency cleanup. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.