Tri-Cities • Maple Ridge, BC

Land Clearing in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge's mix of urban infill and larger rural acreage — from Silver Valley to Hammond and Whonnock — means land-clearing projects here run into the City's tree bylaw fast: most trees 20cm DBH or larger need a permit, and clearing five or more trees explicitly triggers an arborist report requirement. Root Down plans multi-tree clearing across Maple Ridge with that threshold built into the quote from the start.

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When to Call for Land Clearing in Maple Ridge

If your Maple Ridge clearing project involves five or more trees, or any tree near a creek or in a riparian setback, budget time for the arborist report and permit before equipment mobilizes.

Permits & Bylaws in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge protects trees 20cm DBH and larger, with extra scrutiny above 50cm in urban areas or 70cm in rural areas, and permits are only valid for four months — so timing the application against your construction schedule matters. Clearing five or more trees explicitly requires an arborist report under the bylaw, and replacement is required to maintain 16 trees per acre, or $618 per tree as cash-in-lieu if replanting isn't practical on a build site.

Permits required for trees 20cm+ DBH. Significant trees (50cm+ urban, 70cm+ rural) have extra protection. Arborist report required for 5+ trees. Permits valid 4 months.

See Maple Ridge tree bylaws

Bylaw rules change. Verify current requirements directly with Maple Ridge before starting any work.

Our Land Clearing Process

Site Assessment

We survey the property and identify any protected trees or environmental concerns.

Permit Coordination

We help navigate permits and regulations for your municipality.

Clearing

Trees and brush are removed efficiently using appropriate equipment.

Site Prep

Stumps are ground and debris removed, leaving the site ready for your project.

What Affects Land Clearing Cost in Maple Ridge

Every job is unique, so we provide free, detailed estimates rather than one-size-fits-all pricing. The main factors:

Number of trees (5+ triggers a mandatory arborist report)
Tree size relative to the 20cm/50cm/70cm DBH thresholds
Urban infill lot vs. rural acreage (Silver Valley, Albion, Whonnock, etc.)
Proximity to creeks or riparian setbacks (removes the size threshold entirely)
Replacement planting vs. $618-per-tree cash-in-lieu
Permit timing against your 4-month validity window and construction schedule

Recent Land Clearing Work in Maple Ridge

See examples of our land clearing work across Tri-Cities.

View recent work

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're clearing five or more trees, yes — Maple Ridge's bylaw makes that explicit. Even smaller clearing projects generally need a permit for any tree 20cm DBH or larger, and we can prepare the arborist documentation either way.

Maple Ridge permits are valid for four months, so we time the application against your actual construction or clearing schedule to avoid having to reapply partway through.

Maple Ridge requires replacement planting to maintain 16 trees per acre, but where that's not practical on a build site, cash-in-lieu is available at $618 per tree. We can advise which makes more sense for your project.