Tree removal in Carson City, NV

Nearly half of Carson City's homes went up before 1980, so many of the big trees here were planted two generations ago and now hang over roofs, fences and service wires. We have been taking them down since October 2013.

At a glance

• Yard and office in Carson City, about 4.5 miles from downtown
• About 49% of Carson City homes were built before 1980
• Voted First Place, Best Tree Service, Nevada Appeal Best of Carson City, 2018 through 2025
• ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff

Why are so many Carson City removals big trees?

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts the median Carson City home at 1981, with about 49% built before 1980 and about 8% before 1960. A shade tree planted with a 1970s house has had half a century to grow, and the yard around it has usually filled in with a garage, a fence, a shed and the neighbor's addition.

That is why removal here is rarely a matter of dropping a tree into open ground. It comes down in pieces, and where the pieces land is planned before the first cut.

Which method fits a Carson City lot?

The arborist picks the method on the estimate visit. A tree beside the street or the driveway can often be reached by our 75-foot Altec boom truck. A sound tree in a fenced back yard is climbed and lowered on ropes. A large tree over the house, or one too dead to climb, is a job for the crane, which we own and keep at the yard.

For how that works on our streets, see crane-assisted tree removal in Carson City.

How much does fire figure in the decision?

More than most places. The USDA Forest Service ranks Carson City's wildfire risk to homes higher than 98.5% of US communities, with about 10% of buildings in the direct exposure zone and about 66% in the indirect zone, where embers are the threat. The 2004 Waterfall Fire, mapped at 8,765 acres, is among the large fires mapped within about 10 miles.

A dead or dying tree near the house is fuel as well as a falling hazard. When the arborist recommends removal for that reason, it usually ties into defensible space work on the same property.

A dry valley is hard on old trees

The Carson City weather station averages about 14 inches of snow a year and a winter low near 25 degrees (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Yard trees here live on irrigation. When the watering changes, a mature tree can decline over several seasons, and the first sign is often dead wood high in the crown. Our page on drought stress and dieback shows what to look for before you call.

What happens on the day?

The crew arrives with the chipper, the chip truck and whatever lift the plan calls for. Brush is chipped, logs are loaded with the track loader, and the yard is raked before the trucks leave. If you want the stump ground, say so at the estimate and it goes on the same paper. Estimates are free and tailored to each client.