Trees are a precious commodity in urban and suburban areas, so when one needs to be taken down, not only is it particularly noticeable, it may be a sensitive concern for residents. In this article, we’ll go over the reasons why a tree may need to be removed, what sort of equipment professionals use to accomplish the task safely, and the process of taking down a tree cautiously and effectively in a neighborhood setting. 

Reasons a Tree May Need to Be Removed

When a local tree gets cut down, it can prompt questions of why (especially if it was one of your favorites). There are several situations where it’s necessary or desirable to remove a tree from a property, such as poor health or when a tree poses a safety risk or ongoing nuisance:

• Visible Weakness: A weak tree becomes hazardous when the risk of broken limbs or a weak trunk creates the potential to harm people or property. Unseasonal leaf color change or loss, leafless branches in spring and summer, and loss of bark are some of the signs that a tree may be sick or dying and should be checked out by a certified arborist.

• Invisible Weakness: Some tree weaknesses, including simple old age, might not cause visible signs of failure. Still, an arborist will be able to detect bacterial or fungal infections, decay, or other structural weaknesses during routine inspections. Sometimes, a failing tree can be kept for several more years, in which case an arborist will make a long-term plan for removal. Other times, an immediate removal may be required.

• Hazard Potential: Some trees are in healthy condition, but their location might eventually create risks like overhanging branches and foundation or utility damage, in which case tree removal would be preventative to avoid future hazards.

• General Disturbance: While safety is the main concern when it comes to the health of a tree, a tree’s effect on the domestic environment is also important. A tree may be blocking desirable sunlight, and messy trees become a nuisance to different degrees. Female ginkgo trees, for instance, drop smelly berries, while the fruit and flower droppings of other species might build up in grass, on walkways, in streets, on roofs, or on cars. This may invite wildlife to feast, and too much buildup that isn’t cleared away will begin to rot, causing further unpleasantness.

• Invasive Species: Invasive trees, such as the Bradford pear, should be removed from a property due to their potential to spread unchecked and become hazardous. Invasive tree species crowd out native plants and reduce wildlife habitat, while some, like the Bradford pear, become less structurally sound as they mature.

Working With a Professional for Tree Removal

We asked Bo Arrington, ISA-certified master arborist and NTCC board member, what homeowners should know about working with professionals for tree removal. He said that homeowners who know what they’re doing, understand the risks, and aren’t anywhere near a structure are free to fell a tree themselves. He advises, however, to never use a ladder when cutting down a tree. If a tree is very large or leaning, contacting a professional is the way to go.

According to Arrington, You don't necessarily need a certified arborist to remove a tree; just be sure that the company has a valid certificate of insurance and a workman’s comp policy. I typically recommend that people get multiple quotes on tree removals because removals can be extremely expensive. I will say that you always get what you pay for. Cheaper companies are known to break fences, tear up the lawn, leave a mess, etc. Hiring a certified arborist can give you some assurance that the work will be done safely.

It's also a good idea for homeowners to have a certified arborist with a tree risk assessment qualification to have a look at the tree before committing to a removal. Many tree and landscape companies will recommend the removal of perfectly healthy and safe trees. I have personally been called out for a second opinion many times because a tree company has recommended removal of completely healthy trees, even going so far as to tell the homeowner that the lichen* on their tree is a disease.

There are many talented tree climbers and equipment operators out there that are not certified arborists. With that being said, I would never advise having anyone other than a certified arborist prune a tree (a certified arborist will at least have a basic understanding of tree biology, physiology, safe work practices, and proper pruning techniques), but you don't necessarily need to be a certified arborist to remove one.

*Lichen is a symbiotic organism made up of fungi and algae that can grow on tree bark and, while generally harmless, may sometimes indicate underlying stress or disease in the tree.

Contracting Tree Removal Services

Whether a homeowner works with a certified arborist or a landscape company to remove a tree, it’s important to read and verify the details of a proposed agreement before signing anything. Look at:

• Insurance and liability coverage

• Terms and conditions of the agreement

• Description of the work to be done and responsibilities of the provider

• Estimated service schedule

• Price

If you have a tree on your property that you are concerned about, it's best to call an arborist with a tree risk assessment qualification; you can find one at treesaregood.org.

The Tree Removal Process

When felling a tree in a neighborhood area, professionals may use equipment that makes cutting down trees safe and efficient. This is particularly important in areas where trees are in close proximity to people and buildings. Neighborhood trees are removed carefully from the crown down to the roots:

• Branches: A professional will either climb up into the interior of the crown or use a cherry picker to reach the upper branches. They are secured by a harness and covered up with gloves, eyewear, and a hard hat. Generally, removing branches and limbs is the most time-consuming step.

• Limbs: Chainsaws, harnesses, and sometimes a crane are used to safely lower the cut pieces of limbs. The bigger the tree, the heavier these fragments are (mature tree limbs weigh hundreds of pounds) and the more carefully they must be handled to avoid creating dangerous conditions below. Big trees usually require a small team of people coordinating and helping each other for safety and efficiency.

• Trunk: Like the heavy limb fragments, tree trunks are extremely dense, and these pieces need to be carefully rigged and lowered to the ground and onto a truck bed to haul the logs away.

• Stump: Pickaxes and/or stump grinding machinery are used to break up and remove a tree stump and roots, which reach down 10 to 12 inches below ground level. It’s important to remove all root fragments from the soil since many tree species can regrow from stumps and pieces of root. This can be useful for firewood management, but it’s not desirable when a tree is meant to be removed from a spot for good.

How Long After a Tree Is Removed Can a New One Be Planted?

Arrington shared his thoughts on how to proceed with planting once a tree has been removed. If you want to replant a tree after the stump is ground, you have a few options. You can wait a few years for the grindings to decompose, or you can dig out all of the stump grinding and replace the soil (preferably with soil as close to the original soil as possible). Planting directly into stump grindings is a bad idea. For starters, it's mulch and not soil. The carbon and nitrogen ratios are out of whack because the carbon-rich wood chips need nitrogen to break down, so there won't be very much of the nutrient available for the plant. Fresh wood chips are great as a mulch but not as a growing medium.

It's best to leave a mound of the stump grindings so the soil will return to the original grade. Otherwise, you will have a pit where the stump was. Removing stump grindings can also be a very laborious task. The easiest solution is usually to just plant a new tree in good soil near the old tree site.

Remove Trees the Right Way

Tree removal isn’t always desired, but it is often necessary for the health and safety of people, wildlife, property, and the ecosystem at large. As with all tree care, understanding the what, how, and why is crucial to getting the job done right. NTCC is here to help!

If you’re in the market for a new tree, check out the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ tree sale for your next planting! If you don’t have a place for a new tree, consider volunteering with us to help plant trees across the city. Residents can also donate a tree or donate funds to support NTCC’s mission (we can’t do it without the support of Nashville at large!). If you haven’t already, subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of our activities and to receive helpful tips on local canopy care. Check out NTCC’s Linktree to connect to our Instagram and other key pages where we share our activities and information on Nashville tree care.