Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in Upper Uwchlan, PA
In Upper Uwchlan, no structures or land disturbance are allowed in a riparian buffer area, apart from listed exceptions such as forester-planned timber harvesting.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in Upper Uwchlan, PA. In Upper Uwchlan, no structures or land disturbance are allowed in a riparian buffer area, apart from listed exceptions such as forester-planned timber harvesting, and the riparian buffer covers 75 feet from any stream bank, wetlands plus 25 feet, and any hydric soil. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the Upper Uwchlan code says
Upper Uwchlan covers about 10.9 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 16 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.
No disturbance in the riparian buffer
Section 162-55 of the Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development Design Standards reads: “No structures shall be placed within any riparian buffer area, and no land disturbance shall be permitted within any riparian buffer area except for any of the following”
- 2.
What the riparian buffer covers
Section 200-7 of the Chapter 200 Zoning, Article II Definitions reads: “RIPARIAN BUFFER AREA Any area comprised of one or more of the following: (1) Any area within 75 feet of the bank of any stream; (2) Any wetlands and any area within 25 feet of any wetland; and (3) Any area of hydric soil.”
Source: Upper Uwchlan Township Code, Chapter 200 Zoning, Article II Definitions, Section 200-7
- 3.
Specimen trees
Section 162-55 of the Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development Design Standards reads: “No healthy, viable specimen tree(s) shall be removed from any lot or tract except where the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that such removal is essential to eliminate hazardous condition(s) or otherwise permit lawful use of the lot or tract”
- 4.
Replacement for trees over 8 inches
Section 162-55 of the Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development Design Standards reads: “Where woodland or hedgerow disturbance involves each tree greater than 8" DBH removed, replacement trees shall be planted in accordance with the following schedule.”
Offices for a Upper Uwchlan site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | Upper Uwchlan Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
Upper Uwchlan questions, answered
Does Upper Uwchlan regulate timber harvesting or tree removal?
No structures or land disturbance are allowed in a riparian buffer area, apart from listed exceptions such as forester-planned timber harvesting (Section 162-55).
Is there a stream buffer rule in Upper Uwchlan?
The riparian buffer covers 75 feet from any stream bank, wetlands plus 25 feet, and any hydric soil (Section 200-7).
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 Upper Uwchlan, 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 Upper Uwchlan, 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 Upper Uwchlan 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 Upper Uwchlan 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 Upper Uwchlan Township, PA?
Start with the Upper Uwchlan Township office for local zoning and permits. Pennsylvania Chapter 102 sets a written erosion and sediment control plan at 5,000 square feet of earth disturbance and an NPDES permit at 1 acre or more, reviewed through the Chester County Conservation District. As general guidance, mulching in place often disturbs little soil. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, PA?
Burning rules in Pennsylvania are set by the municipality, so check with Upper Uwchlan Township before lighting anything. Huntly's mulch-in-place method needs no burn permit because the brush is ground up on the spot by forestry mulching instead of piled and burned. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What grows wild and takes over land around Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, PA?
Typical for Chester County: multiflora rose, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. These crowd out pasture, fence lines and woodland edges around Upper Uwchlan Township. Huntly clears them with a drum mulcher and quotes any follow-up herbicide by a licensed applicator as a separate visible line.
Is there cost-share money for clearing invasives in Upper Uwchlan Township, PA?
Often, yes. As general guidance, landowners can ask the local USDA service center about NRCS EQIP. Pennsylvania's EQIP list covers brush management (practice 314, mechanical, large shrubs); the per-acre rate is set each year, so ask the district conservationist for the current figure. Eligibility, practice rules and sign-up dates apply, and enrollment comes before work starts. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, PA, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes, Upper Uwchlan Township is inside Huntly's service region. The site walk is free, and every job is priced in writing after the walk. Mobilization is quoted on the estimate for long hauls. Call (484) 486-7272 or email hello@huntlyland.com.
Who do I call after a storm in Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, PA?
Call Huntly's 24/7 storm line at (484) 486-7272 for downed trees across lanes, fields and fence lines. We clear with a grapple and a Cat 285XE. If a tree is on a house, a power line or other structure, call a tree service or the utility first, then us for the cleanup.
Official site: upperuwchlan-pa.gov
Sources: dep.pa.gov (default) · upperuwchlan-pa.gov · upperuwchlan-pa.gov (About Upper Uwchlan Township) · 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: Upper Uwchlan Township Code, Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development Design Standards, Section 162-55 · Upper Uwchlan Township Code, Chapter 200 Zoning, Article II Definitions, Section 200-7 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in Upper Uwchlan 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.