Removing a dead or dying tree is advisable as soon as you notice it. The longer you wait, the more decay has set in, and the more dangerous the tree is for a tree professional to work in AND for you to have standing on your property.

Other Obvious Reasons to Remove a Tree

• Declining health—the branches or top of tree is dying back, there are large dead branches, or you notice there is decay on the main trunk.
• Major storm damage—a significant portion of the tree is damaged and the tree is beyond repair.
• Tree is too close to the house or other buildings, utility lines, play structures, pool, etc..
• The tree is leaning towards an obvious target, such as your house, your driveway where you park, your patio, pool, the general area where your children play, etc…
• It’s a nuisance—dropping seeds, sap, branches, and blocking views and light and inhibiting the lawn you want to grow.
• Roots pose a serious threat to foundations, driveways, sidewalk and underground utilities.
• It’s causing a dangerous obstruction.
• Major landscape renovations which would either damage trees, or because the tree has outgrown its space and it’s time for a more appropriate planting.
• To allow for new construction, building additions, and to provide clearances with those structures.

Not-so-obvious Reasons to Remove a Tree

• Structural problems
• Bad crotches
• Cracks to the main trunk or main leaders
• Tree is just too big for the location and poses challenges to safety if it falls or drops branches.
• New construction—tree will either be mortally damaged by equipment, or is in the way of construction.
• Major diseases or insect infestation that will kill the tree soon, or spread to other trees.
• Interior decay
• Leaning in the wrong direction-sometimes obvious, sometimes not so obvious!
• Crowding among trees on your property that make it necessary to eliminate competition so that remaining plants/trees have more light and space to develop.

Can I do this myself?

We do not recommend tree removal by a non-professional arborist. A certified arborist has the skills and the track record of taking down many different types of trees in a multitude of situations. Not only can an arborist safely remove a tree, they have the equipment to remove the branches and the wood which will be a much bigger mess on the ground than it was up in the air.