What counts as brush and when is it a problem?
Brush usually means woody shrubs and small trees that take over open ground. Extension guides from Texas, Kansas, and Wisconsin describe it as a problem when it crowds out the grass that animals graze, blocks access, or raises fire risk near buildings.
Not all woody growth is a problem. Some brush gives wildlife cover and food, stabilizes banks, and screens the view, so decide what to keep before you start cutting.
Wildfire risk is a good reason to act near buildings. Dense brush against a barn or house can carry fire, so many fire agencies advise clearing and thinning in a zone around structures. Ask your local fire department or state forestry agency what distances and methods they recommend where you live.
How do you set goals and priorities?
Walk the property and mark areas by use: pasture you want open, fence lines, areas around buildings, wildlife corners, and stream banks. Rank them by what matters most and what is cheapest to fix. Small, young brush is much easier to deal with than dense, mature stands.
Your NRCS service center or extension office can help you build a plan, and some offer technical assistance at no charge.
Slopes and stream banks call for extra caution. Brush often holds soil on steep ground and shades water, and removing it all can cause erosion or warm the stream. Leave a strip of cover, and ask your conservation district before working near water, since buffers and permits may apply.
- Mark areas you want open and areas you want to keep wooded
- Start with young brush and small patches
- Protect stream banks and steep slopes
- Keep a defensible zone around buildings
What methods are available?
Common methods include hand cutting, mowing, mulching with machinery, grazing, prescribed burning, and herbicides applied by approved methods. Each works better on certain plants. Some species resprout from the stump or roots if cut, so a single cutting may only change the shape of the problem.
Extension publications describe which methods suit which species and when to use them. Ask which apply to the brush on your land.
Keep records of what you cleared, when, how, and what grew back. Pictures taken from fixed points before and after give you a record of progress, show whether your method worked, and help an adviser suggest the next step.
How do you work safely?
Brush work involves chainsaws, brush cutters, tractors, and sometimes fire or chemicals. Use protective gear, learn the equipment from the maker's manual and a qualified trainer, and never work alone with a saw. Look out for overhead power lines, hornets, poison ivy, and uneven ground.
For large trees, steep ground, or anything near power lines, hire a qualified, insured professional.
Think about what happens to the cut material. Piles can be left as wildlife cover, chipped for mulch on paths, or hauled away, and burning brush piles is regulated in many places. Ask your county or fire department about burn rules and permits before you light anything.
- Wear eye, ear, head, and leg protection that suits the tool
- Do not work alone with a chainsaw
- Keep clear of power lines and call the utility if trees are near
- Hire a professional for big or risky work
What about herbicides and fire?
If you use herbicide, the label is the law. It names the plants, the method, the sites, and limits for animals and water. Follow it exactly, and consider a licensed applicator for large areas. Do not rely on rates from memory.
Prescribed burning is regulated and dangerous. Rules and permits vary by state and county, and trained burners and local fire officials should be involved. Do not burn brush without permission and proper preparation.
How do you protect wildlife and soil?
Avoid clearing during nesting season and leave some cover, such as brush piles or patches along fence rows. Keep ground covered afterward, since bare soil invites erosion and new weeds. Reseeding or letting grass recover quickly helps protect the soil.
Your state fish and wildlife agency can advise on wildlife needs, and rules about protected species and nesting birds vary by state.
How do you keep it from coming back?
Follow up. Resprouts and seedlings appear for several years, so plan to return to treated areas. Grazing, mowing, and a healthy grass stand help hold ground. Ask your NRCS or Farm Service Agency office whether cost-share help exists for brush management on your land, and ask your county office whether any rules limit clearing near streams or wetlands.
Key takeaways
- Decide what you want each area to do before cutting.
- Deal with young, small brush first.
- Choose methods by species, and expect resprouts.
- Chainsaws, fire, and chemicals need training, protective gear, and sometimes professionals.
- Burning, clearing, and wildlife rules are local, so ask first.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.