When this is the right job
A lot of older Brevard homes sit on wooded lots with live oaks and slash pine overhead and palmetto underneath. Over the years the palmetto creeps closer to the house. The back half of the yard turns into something you can't walk through, and you lose track of where the property line is.
Underbrush clearing fixes that without taking the shade. The big trees stay. What comes out is the low growth. Thick, dry palmetto right against a house also burns hot when a dry spring comes, which is one more reason people open it up.
Mulch it or haul it
Mulching grinds the brush into chips that stay on the ground. It keeps loaded trucks off your yard, holds the sand down and breaks down over time. Some people like how it looks under oaks.
Hauling leaves bare ground. That's the better choice if you plan to put down sod, build something or just want the dirt showing. We load the debris into our own dump trucks and haul it away. You can also mix the two, with mulch under the trees and bare ground near the house.
Working around the trees you keep
Before anything starts, we walk the yard with you and mark what stays. That includes small trees you might want to grow, not only the big ones.
Live oak roots sit shallow in sandy soil and run well past the edge of the branches. The less weight that rolls over them, the better for the tree. A compact track loader fits between trees where bigger machines don't, and it's easier on the ground. Tell us about any tree you're worried about and we'll plan the work around it.
Palmetto comes back
Saw palmetto tends to sprout again from its trunk when it's only cut at the ground. If you want an area kept open, plan on mowing it now and then. Where you want it gone for good, the palmetto has to come out by the root, and that leaves bare sand behind. Tell us which areas are which.
Gopher tortoises like the same dry, sandy ground palmetto grows in, and they're protected in Florida. If there are burrows in the brush, a survey or an FWC permit may be needed before clearing near them. Whether the job needs a county or city clearing permit depends on the lot, so check before work starts. Call (321) 638-4636 and we'll talk it through, or request a quote.
What customers say
I recently used Harrack Trucking for some work on my property. The owners both came out and met me gave me a quote and performed the work that was asked. They came out on the day they said they would. Cleaned up after they were done and then followed up a few days later to insure we were happy. If you need any grading, mulching, land clearing or dirt these are your guys. And not to mention they are local to Palm Bay and have been in business over 30 years.
Nelson J.Google review
Questions people ask
Will you take out any trees?
Only the ones you want gone. Underbrush clearing leaves the canopy standing. If you need the whole lot or a full piece of land opened up, see lot clearing or land clearing.
Can you just mulch it all in place?
Often, yes. Some yards end up with more chips than people want, though. If you'd rather have bare ground in places, we haul that part off instead.
Do I need a permit to clear underbrush?
It depends on the lot, where it is and how much comes out. Check with Brevard County or your city. Tell us what they said when you call and we'll go from there.
Last reviewed October 15, 2026. General information, not legal or professional advice. Check the linked sources for the current rules.