Depends on the jurisdictions one is in. There are areas where must get a permit to cut down even a single tree on one's own property. In other areas, you must get a permit to cut down any trees above a certain size trunk diameter. In other areas certain types of trees are protected. And, in other areas the landowner is free to do pretty much whatever he or she wants to do with the trees on his/her property.

Note that I said jurisdictions (plural) because your city, your county, and/or your state may have tree-cutting regulations that you must abide by.

Here is a link that mentions SOME of the kinds of laws one runs into regarding tree removal in various state

Are you wanting to cut down all the trees on your 25 acre plot? Or are you looking for a way to stop a neighbor from doing so?

Here is a link that might be useful: Some tree removal regs by state.

Check with your local state/city/county or whatever governing body you have. We were only able to clear a percentage no matter what. There were some rules that would dictate less than that max percentage. There was also a max on impervious surface like driveways and patios.

Why not just buy a clear lot? Taking down 25 acres of trees would be some pretty expensive work.

In my area, loggers are now paying rather well for standing timber. To avoid the problems with an opportunistic logger, get a timber/forestry management firm to handle the sale and harvesting for you. Well worth the 10% fee I paid them.
And they will know the rules for your area.
In my case, a windstorm did much damage. The damaged timber plus the trees that would never be more valuable in the future were harvested. Tomatoes should be harvested when they are at their best. Woodland trees are a crop also.

I don't think the OP wants to clear all 25 acres- the title specifies 'several acres'.

It is location-specific. Where we lived in FL, you needed a permit to cut any tree over 4" in diameter. Here in rural SC, I could clear-cut our whole place. Just bear in mind that trees provide a number of advantages, and that it takes a LONG time to grow another one of size. Many people have suggested we clear-cut our 7 acres so we can see the mountains year-round. I'd rather keep the trees and wait until autumn to see the mountains. Still, we ended up clearing about an acre between the house, barn, and driveway.

(Bevangel!!! I've missed you!)

OP: In our area, if it will be "developed" then, yes, the whole thing can be logged. Sometimes there are requirements to replant a certain number of trees of a certain size in the development.

On the other hand, if you have a lot as a homeowner, you cannot cut more than 2 significant trees per year (go figure).

So, it totally depends on the location/jurisdiction/municipality/local laws and rules. No answer from this forum would matter in your particular case, most likely.

Where we are building, we have to plant 3 coastal pines(somewhere in township) for every one we take down and 4 coastal oaks for every one we take down. We(or rather Green Space who we are paying to do this) will be planting 97 saplings in various places around town.

That's a legal question. The law is different in every state. It's kind of dangerous to ask these questions on the internet because people answer based on what the law is in their state.

Generally you can, but various jurisdictions may have restrictions on chopping down trees in wetlands or within a certain distance from a body of water. There may be a town easement preventing you from chopping down certain trees along the street, or you may be prohibited from chopping down endangered species. If there is an HOA it might require you to keep a certain number of trees.

I would strongly advise you to be sparing in how many trees you cut down. If you leave up a tree and change your mind later, you can always cut it down later. Putting back a tree you removed is a bit harder. Old, large trees increase property values, and removing too many trees can trigger erosion.

This post was edited by edlincoln on Tue, Sep 9, 14 at 9:32