Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call if a tree needs work?
You can make a maintenance request by calling Urban Forestry at 560-4185. We'll take your request, and, after we've made an inspection, we'll report to you what exactly we'll do, and approximately when we'll complete the work.
What trees does Urban Forestry work on?
We maintain trees growing on City property. That includes trees growing on street rights-of-way, in parks, and on other city properties. Street rights-of-way vary from street to street, so if a tree close to the street needs attention, let us know. We'll evaluate the tree and determine if it is on the right-of-way. If the tree needs work and is on the right-of-way, we'll do the work at no charge to you. If the tree is not on the right-of-way, we'll let you know. We can't perform tree work on private property, so you'll need to hire an arborist. For tips on how to hire an arborist, click here (link to how to hire an arborist).
I think my tree should be cut down. Will Urban Forestry do that?
Urban Forestry will remove trees that are hazardous, and growing on City property. A hazardous tree, as defined by the International Society of Arboriculture (link to ISA) must meet three criteria:
- The tree has the size and weight to cause damage if it were to fall, and
- There is a target (the thing that would be damaged if the tree were to fall), and
- The tree has a condition that makes if likely that the tree would fall.
Urban Forestry will inspect requests for tree removal from city property promptly, and, if the tree is found to be hazardous, our Tree Crews will remove the tree. If the entire tree is not hazardous, but maintenance work is required, we'll write a work order to perform this work.
If we can find no evidence that the tree is hazardous, we'll let you know, and we'll monitor that tree to make sure that it's condition doesn't change.
We will not remove trees because they're dropping leaves or acorns, because it's grown too large, or because it's not in the most desirable location. For more information, please refer to our
Tree Removal Policy.
I've got a tree in my backyard that needs some work. Will Urban Forestry do this work?
We can only work on trees that are growing on City property. For private tree work, you'll need to hire an arborist. For tips on how to hire an arborist,
click here.
The trees along the street have grown up into the powerlines, and I'm worried about power failure. Will Urban Forestry prune these limbs?
Urban Forestry doesn't prune trees for transmission line clearance due to Line Clearance Certification requirements. Contractors working for Duke Power Company perform this work. You can make a service request to Duke Power at 382-3200.
If the lines that you're concerned about are not transmission lines, but are the lines that go from the power pole into your house, Urban Forestry will prune trees for clearance as long as the trees are growing on city property.
Can't anything be done about the way that the street trees are pruned under the powerlines?
Line clearance pruning, while unsightly to many people, is necessary to ensure reliable power. The type of pruning that is used by Duke Power's line clearance contractors is called directional pruning, and has been scientifically proven to be the best way to prune for line clearance and maintain the health of the tree. For more information about Duke Power Company's tree trimming philosophy, check out
here. They have a clear explanation of the types of trimming they do and don't use.
The real answer to this situation is planting the right tree in the right place. This means that the type of tree to be planted is selected based on the location where it will be planted. The only trees that Urban Forestry will plant under transmission lines are trees that will mature at 25 feet or less. This way, the trees won't need to be trimmed for line clearance. For more information on tree species, see our
Recommended Tree Species List.
Will Urban Forestry plant a tree in front of my house?
You can request that a street tree be planted on the right-of-way by Urban Forestry. We prefer a cost sharing partnership with you. You pay for 50 percent of the wholesale cost of the tree, Urban Forestry will pay the other 50 percent and plant the tree. We also require that you water the tree once per week during the growing season, and will provide more
detailed information at the time the tree is planted.
What can I do to about tree roots in my sewer or water line?
Tree roots are opportunistic. While they will not crack a sound sewer service or water line, they will exploit cracks or failures in the lines. The best defense against having tree roots in lines is to make sure that your lines are in good condition and that they're not cracked. If you suspect that tree roots are growing into your sewer line, you can have the roots cut out using a process called "rodding". You can also flush Copper Sulfate down the toilet two to three times per year to prevent roots from growing into sewer lines. Copper Sulfate is an inexpensive chemical that can be purchased at most hardware stores.
Urban Forestry will not remove a tree solely because of roots in lines.
Tree roots have pushed up the sidewalk. Will you cut down the tree?
Tree roots will certainly contribute to sidewalk failure, but they are not the initial cause of heaving. There are a number of factors that contribute to sidewalk failure: the method of sidewalk construction, type of soil under and surrounding the sidewalk, proximity of the sidewalk to the tree's buttress roots, and others.
There are several things that can be done to repair the sidewalk and maintain the health of the tree. Urban Forestry will work with Street Maintenance to repair the sidewalk in the most appropriate manner.
Urban Forestry will not remove a tree solely because of sidewalk failure.
Vegetation and low tree limbs make it difficult to see at an intersection. Can Urban Forestry help?
Urban Forestry can evaluate these blind corners and sight distance problems to determine the best method to improve the situation. Let us know where the intersection is and we'll do our best to solve the problem.
My neighbor has a dead tree that could fall onto my house. What can be done about this?
Urban Forestry can't get involved in these types of situations. Our advise is to send your neighbor a certified letter, return receipt requested, that outlines your concerns and states that he should remove the tree. Keep a copy of the letter and the receipt. This way, should the tree fall before your neighbor can remove it, you have proof of negligence and can have him or his insurance repair any damages that were caused when the tree fell.
Will Urban Forestry cut down a street tree so I don't have to rake leaves?
Urban Forestry will not remove trees for this reason alone. We will only remove trees that are hazardous. For more information, see our
Tree Removal Policy.
Does Urban Forestry give away or sell the wood chips it's crews make? It would make great mulch.
Unfortunately, all of the wood chips that are made by our chipping operations are used by the Roadway Appearance Division for roadside mulch. The City does give away compost at the Transfer Station, however. For more information about compost, call 560-4185.
Can Urban Forestry come out and pick up the debris from a tree that I trimmed?
Urban Forestry crews will only pick up debris from trees that they pruned. We generally will chip debris as we go. The Solid Waste department will pick up this type of debris, and they have several different options for pickup. For more information, contact them at 560-4185.