What cedar and brush mulching actually costs in the Hill Country — per-acre ranges by density, why small jobs cost more per acre, and real examples from the San Antonio–New Braunfels corridor.
In the Texas Hill Country, forestry mulching usually runs about $1,300 to $2,000 per acre for light brush, $1,600 to $3,500 for medium or mixed cedar, and $3,500 to $4,500 or more for heavy, mature cedar. Those numbers are well above the national averages you'll see online, because Ashe juniper ("cedar") on rocky ground is some of the hardest mulching in the country.
Small jobs cost more per acre. Most mulching crews price by the machine day, so a one-acre job often pays for a full day of equipment, while 10-plus acres spreads that cost out.
| Brush density | Typical Hill Country price per acre |
|---|---|
| Light brush / scattered cedar | $1,300 – $2,000 (range $500 – $2,500) |
| Medium / mixed cedar | $1,600 – $3,500 (range $1,500 – $4,000) |
| Heavy, mature cedar | $3,500 – $4,500 (up to $6,000+) |
| Larger tracts (10 – 20 acres) | about $1,500 – $2,800 per acre (one contractor's published rate) |
| Very large tracts (20+ acres) | about $1,200 – $2,500 per acre (one contractor's published rate) |
| One-acre job (full machine-day minimum) | about $5,000 – $7,000 total (one contractor's published rate) |
Ranges from published Texas contractor pricing pages, checked October 2026. Rates marked as one contractor's published rate come from a single source — treat them as examples, not market averages.
The thicker and taller the cedar, the slower the machine moves. Density is the single biggest driver of per-acre price.
Small stems can be handled by a skid-steer mulcher; trees over roughly 8 inches often need a larger dedicated machine, which costs more per day.
Limestone ledges and steep hillsides slow the work and are hard on equipment.
Saving your oaks and clearing only cedar takes more care and time than clearing everything.
Mulching is priced around machine days. More acres means the fixed costs — transport, setup, minimum day — are spread thinner.
Moving heavy equipment costs money; remote properties can carry a mobilization fee.
Mulching leaves roots in the ground. If you need them out for building or cultivation, grubbing is a separate service with its own price.
One New Braunfels-area contractor publishes examples of completed jobs: about 6 acres near Universal City for $9,000–$10,000 over two days (roughly $1,600 an acre), about 4 acres in San Antonio for $8,000–$9,000 over two days (roughly $2,100 an acre), and about 8 acres near San Marcos for $15,000–$18,000 over four days (roughly $2,000 an acre).
Those examples line up with the medium-density range above, and show how much smaller jobs cost per acre than larger ones.
Forestry mulching grinds standing brush into mulch in one pass and leaves it on the ground, where it helps hold soil and moisture. There's no burning and no hauling, which is why it's commonly 20 to 40 percent cheaper than cutting, stacking, and hauling the same brush.
The trade-off: roots stay in the ground and the mulch layer stays on site. For pasture recovery, fence lines, trails, and selective cedar clearing, that's usually exactly what you want. For a building pad, you'll need full clearing and grubbing instead.
Most Hill Country jobs fall between about $1,300 and $4,500 per acre depending on how dense the cedar is, with heavy mature cedar reaching $6,000 or more.
Most crews price by the machine day, so a small job still carries a full day of equipment and transport. Bigger tracts spread those fixed costs over more acres.
No. Forestry mulching leaves the ground-up material on site as a protective layer. Hauling it would add significant cost.
No. Mulching cuts brush at or near ground level. Removing roots (grubbing) is a separate, additional service.
It depends heavily on density: light, selective cedar work can cover several acres a day, while heavy cedar may take a full day or more per acre.
For pasture and selective clearing it is usually cheaper, commonly 20 to 40 percent less than cut-and-haul, because nothing has to be piled, burned, or trucked away.
Prices are published ranges from the sources below, checked October 2026. Every property is different — get an on-site quote before you budget.
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