IN resource centre

Land clearing resources for Indiana

Flat, productive, intensively farmed ground where the clearing questions are drainage tile, fencerows, and not compacting soil you intend to farm.

Published by the Land Clearing Authority editorial team · Last revised 2026-07-29 · Editorial policy · Corrections

Indiana clearing is largely agricultural in character. Woodland is concentrated in fencerows, riparian corridors, and remnant woodlots rather than large tracts, and the work follows from that: field edges, drainage corridors, and margins lost to brush.

Two practical constraints define it. Subsurface drainage tile is extensive, shallow, unmapped on many farms, and not covered by the utility locate system. And the soils are highly productive and highly susceptible to compaction when worked wet.

What to ask locally, before work starts

State-level agencies set frameworks. Counties, municipalities, and watershed authorities set the numbers that actually apply to a parcel. These are the questions to put to them.

Whether a land-disturbance or stormwater permit applies to your project
What is known about drainage tile locations on your ground
What county drainage board requirements apply to regulated drains
What management the invasive species on your edges actually need
Current outdoor burning restrictions for your county

Authorities in Indiana

These are navigation targets, not evidence for a figure. This site links to the authority that governs a question rather than restating what it says, because requirements below the state level vary and change.

Indiana DNR Division of ForestryIndiana state forestry agency publishing landowner assistance, forest management, and wildfire program information for the state. · Registered 2026-07-29 · Verification: unverified
Indiana Department of Environmental ManagementIndiana state environmental agency as the authority for land disturbance, erosion and sediment control, and stormwater requirements in the state. · Registered 2026-07-29 · Verification: unverified
Purdue ExtensionIndiana Cooperative Extension service as the source of soil testing and soil management guidance for landowners in the state. · Registered 2026-07-29 · Verification: unverified
Indiana 811The one-call utility locate programme serving Indiana, through which excavation notice is submitted before digging. · Registered 2026-07-29 · Verification: unverified
USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceThe federal agency providing technical and financial conservation assistance to private landowners through local field offices. · Registered 2026-07-29 · Verification: unverified

Questions from Indiana landowners

Does 811 cover my drainage tile?

No. The utility locate system covers participating utility facilities, not privately installed drainage. Tile is shallow, frequently unmapped, and easily damaged by below-grade work. Establish what is known about it before grubbing, and tell the contractor.

Do I need a permit to clear a fencerow?

It depends on your county and on whether the work is near a regulated drain or a waterway. County drainage boards have jurisdiction over regulated drains. Ask your county surveyor or drainage board and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

How do I avoid compacting my field?

Work it when it is dry enough to carry machinery. On productive till-plain soil, compaction is a yield problem that may need subsoiling to correct. Ask the contractor what season they would rather work it, and take the answer seriously.