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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Tree Removal Cost in Scott County, AR

A pine, the most common tree in Scott County, costs $250 to $1,600 to remove according to HomeGuide's national cost data (February 2026), and HomeGuide reports $400 to $1,200 as the typical range for a single tree of any species. Where a given pine lands in that spread depends mostly on height, on how close it leans toward the house, and on whether a truck can get to it on Ouachita hillsides.

This is forest country. The county's own website says 82% of Scott County land is timber, with 62% owned by the U.S. Forest Service and 20% private, and the Forest Service's 2025 FIA inventory counts about 457,600 acres of forest land, 52.8% of it in the loblolly/shortleaf pine group. The Ouachita National Forest article on Wikipedia gives Scott County 369,618 acres of the forest as of 2007, more than any other county, with a ranger office in Waldron.

So most removal calls come from homesteads and small farms carved out of pine and oak woods, not subdivision yards. Rugged ridges run east to west, NRCS soil survey data put 44.0% of mapped acres at 15% slope or steeper, and bedrock is within roughly 100 cm (39 in) on 60.9%, so equipment access, not the tree itself, often decides the bid.

Cost at a glance

Scott County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Pine (most common species here)	$250-$1,600	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Tree 60-80 ft	$850-$2,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Land clearing, per acre	$1,200-$8,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Multi-tree discount	10%-25%	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Max fine, unlawful burning (Class A misdemeanor)	$2,500	Ark. Code §5-38-310, §5-4-201

Permits

Rural Arkansas has no general permit for cutting a tree on your own land, and we found no Scott County tree ordinance. What can turn a cheap job expensive is the brush pile. Under Ark. Code §5-38-310 it is unlawful burning to burn brush, stumps or logs without precautions against escape, and the statute treats any escape to adjoining timber or grass as prima facie evidence that you took none.

The same section makes it unlawful to burn during a burn ban declared under §12-75-108 unless you hold a permit from the chief executive of the government that declared it. Unlawful burning is a Class A misdemeanor, and Ark. Code §5-4-201 sets the maximum fine for that class at $2,500.

Bans come and go with drought. On the Arkansas Forestry Division's fire map as of 8:26 a.m. on October 16, 2026, Scott County was one of 49 counties under a burn ban and was rated High risk, meaning fires ignite easily and spread quickly. Check that map the morning you plan to burn.

Step 1: check the Forestry Division map and decide between burning, chipping and hauling. Step 2: call Arkansas Valley Electric (AVECC) if limbs reach a line; the co-op notes its clearing is required by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and OSHA. Step 3: ask each crew how it will reach the tree on your slope and what equipment it is pricing. Step 4: get written bids that list felling, stump grinding and cleanup separately. Step 5: dial 811 before any digging or replanting.

Local conditions

Pine first, hardwood second: the FIA tables split the county's forest into roughly 241,500 acres of loblolly/shortleaf pine, 24.6% oak/hickory and 20.5% oak/pine. Tall, straight pines are cheaper to fell where they can drop clear; the same pine hanging over a roof gets climbed and lowered piece by piece.

Ridges and rock: 67.2% of mapped acres sit at 8% slope or more in the NRCS survey, and shallow rock across the ridges of the Ouachitas slows stump grinding and limits where a bucket truck can park.

Creek ground: per the same NRCS survey, 9.2% of mapped soil is occasionally or frequently flooded, mostly on the creek and river flats below the ridges and around Lake Hinkle, Waldron Lake and Square Rock Lake.

Storms and ice: FEMA's declarations data list 14 weather-related major disasters that included Scott County from 1968 through 2025, seven of them severe storms, four floods, two severe ice storms and one tornado event, the latest being the May 2025 storms, tornadoes and flooding (DR-4873). Ice-loaded pines that snap and hang in neighbors' crowns are some of the riskiest jobs crews take on here.

What drives local prices

Species: HomeGuide's published figures run $250-$1,600 for pine and $300-$2,500 for oak per tree.
Height: per HomeGuide, a 30-60 ft tree is $500-$1,500 and a 60-80 ft tree $850-$2,000; mature pines here often fall in those two bands.
Acreage work: HomeGuide puts land clearing at $1,200-$8,000 per acre and hourly crew rates at $100-$400+, which is how many rural jobs in the county are priced when there are dozens of trees.
Access and haul: long drives, gates and steep pasture add an est. 15% to 30%; leaving the wood on site or burning it legally saves the haul charge.
Volume: HomeGuide says multi-tree jobs often earn a 10%-25% discount.
Method: we start from HomeGuide's national cost data (Feb 4, 2026) and add local access only where marked est.; these are not Scott County bids. Figures checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Pine removal next to homes and outbuildings on wooded acreage
Ice storm and windstorm cleanup of snapped and hung-up trees
Clearing trees from fence lines and pasture edges
Stump grinding where rock sits close to the surface

Service area

Requests come from Waldron, the county seat, and from Mansfield, Boles, Parks, Hon, Cauthron and Black Fork. The main routes are US 71 and Scenic Highway 71B into Waldron, US 270, and Highway 23, Highway 28 and Highway 80, with Future I-49 planned through the county. Sebastian County borders Scott on the north, past Mansfield and Huntington; its page covers the Fort Smith burning ban.

Most of the county is national forest, so confirm your property line before any cutting near Forest Service land; a removal crew can only work on your side of it.

Want a price on your tree? Fill in the free quote form below with the species, height, slope and distance to the house, plus whether you want the wood left. A member of our team replies by email with next steps and, where we know them, local insured crews to contact.

Communities: Waldron, Mansfield, Boles, Parks, Hon, Cauthron, Black Fork

When something can’t wait

After an ice storm or a tornado warning night, stay away from snapped pines and downed wires and call AVECC or 911. Hung-up trees are the most dangerous removals there are; HomeGuide reports that same-day emergency work runs 2 to 3 times standard rates, so photograph damage for your insurer before cleanup.

Questions about Scott County

What does it cost to cut down a pine in Scott County, AR?

HomeGuide's national data put pine removal at $250 to $1,600. A pine that can drop clear in an open yard sits near the low end; one leaning over a house or on a steep hillside has to be climbed and lowered and lands near the top.

Can I burn the brush after the tree comes down?

Only if no burn ban is in effect, or you have a permit from the official who declared it, and only with precautions against escape. On October 16, 2026 the Forestry Division listed Scott County under a ban. Unlawful burning is a Class A misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,500 (Ark. Code §5-4-201).

Will AVECC remove a tree near my power line?

AVECC trims to keep its lines clear, as the Public Service Commission and OSHA require, and asks members to report limbs or dead trees near lines. For a tree near the line into your house, call the co-op before your crew starts so the work can be done safely.

Do I need a permit to cut trees on my land?

We found no county or state permit for cutting trees on private land in Scott County. Check your survey line if you border the Ouachita National Forest, and follow the burn rules for the debris.

Is it cheaper to have trees cleared by the acre?

For many trees, often yes. HomeGuide's survey puts land clearing at $1,200 to $8,000 per acre, while single removals start at $250 to $400 each, so ask for both prices on big jobs.

Sources

Nearby counties

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. Estimate your clearing cost.