Tree service in Old Southwest Reno (ZIP 89509)
Battle Born Tree Service provides tree service in Old Southwest Reno, ZIP 89509, where about 62% of homes were built before 1980 and the trees are some of the largest in the Truckee Meadows. The neighborhood is about 41 minutes from our yard without traffic.
- 4.8 on Google · 44 reviews
- Best of Carson City 2018-2025
- ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A
- Fully insured
By the numbers
Old Southwest Reno at a glance
If you want to find the big trees in a Western city, look for the old houses. In Reno that search ends in 89509.
Why does Old Southwest Reno have so many large trees?
Because the houses are old and the lots have been watered for generations. About 62% of homes in ZIP 89509 predate 1980 and about a quarter predate 1960, with a median year built of 1975 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Only about 12% have been built since 2000. That is the highest pre-1980 share among the Reno ZIP pages on this site.
A shade tree that went in with a 1950 house has had 75 years to grow. It now has a trunk you cannot reach around and limbs over two or three roofs. The lot around it has filled in with additions, garages and fences.
What does that mean when a tree has to come down?
It means there is no room to fell it, and often no room to lower pieces by rope either. This is where crane-assisted removal makes sense. The crane sets up in the street or driveway, a climber rigs each section, and the section is lifted over the house to the trucks. Our crane page explains the steps. We describe it as a safe and efficient no impact tree removal, and it works near homes, wires and other obstacles.
Not every big tree needs to go. Dead wooding, crown reduction away from a roof, and cabling a weak fork can keep a sound tree standing for years. A certified arborist looks at the tree before any plan is written, and the estimate says plainly what is recommended and why.
Water, weather and stress
The Reno 2.4 SSW station, about a mile from the center of the ZIP, has a NOAA normal of 9.6 inches of precipitation a year. Reno-Tahoe International Airport, about 3 miles away, averages 20.9 inches of snow. A 75-year-old shade tree cannot live on 9.6 inches. When an old lot changes hands and the lawn is replaced with rock, the tree that depended on that lawn's water starts to die back from the top.
That pattern is covered in drought stress and dieback. The ZIP is in USDA zone 7b at about 4,593 feet.
Is wildfire a concern this close to downtown?
Less than on the edges, but the hills are near. Thirty-three perimeters of 300 acres or more are mapped with a center point within about 10 miles of the ZIP since 1980, including the Arrowcreek Fire of 2000, mapped at 2,788 acres and centered about 4 miles away, and the Belli Ranch Fire of 1996 at 6,724 acres. The Forest Service ranks Reno's risk to homes above 97.7% of US communities; there is no separate figure for a ZIP. In a dense older neighborhood the threat is embers, so the first five feet around the house and the roof and gutters matter most.
Services in Old Southwest Reno
- Large tree removal in sections
- Crane-assisted removal
- Crown pruning, dead wooding, cabling and bracing
- Stump grinding, including large old stumps
- Certified arborist consultations
- 24-hour emergency tree service
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, ZCTA 89509 (retrieved October 1, 2026)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Reno 2.4 SSW (US1NVWH0011) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport (USW00023185) (retrieved October 1, 2026)
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities: Reno, NV (April 2026 data)
- National Interagency Fire Center, fire perimeter history and WFIGS perimeters (retrieved October 1, 2026)
- City of Reno Urban Forestry: tree FAQs (read October 17, 2026)
- Truckee Meadows Water Authority: Local Tree Ordinances (read October 1, 2026)
Rules here
The City of Reno does not require a permit to remove, prune or plant a tree on private property. A tree in a City right-of-way or on City property is different: that work needs a Tree Work Permit and must be done by a Certified Arborist. Reno Urban Forestry takes questions at 775-321-8373.
On older streets a mature tree can stand between the sidewalk and the curb. If yours does, ask Urban Forestry whether it is a City tree before anyone prunes or removes it. We have an ISA Certified Arborist on staff, WE-11728A.
Services in Old Southwest Reno
Talk to the office
| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |
Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.
Free estimateNearby
Other places in the Truckee Meadows
Straight answers
Tree service questions in Old Southwest Reno
Still have a question? Call 775.232.8243. Phones are answered seven days a week.
Can a crane fit on a narrow Old Southwest Reno street?
Often, yes, but it is decided tree by tree. The arborist checks the setup spot, overhead lines, the reach to the tree and where the wood will land before recommending a crane.
Is the tree between my sidewalk and the street mine?
It may be in the City right-of-way. Work on right-of-way trees in Reno needs a Tree Work Permit and a Certified Arborist. Call Reno Urban Forestry at 775-321-8373 to confirm before work.
How do I know if my old tree in 89509 is dangerous?
No one can tell you a tree is safe from a description. Dead limbs in the top, cracks, mushrooms at the base, a new lean or lifted soil are reasons to have a certified arborist look in person.
Do you remove large stumps in Old Southwest Reno?
Yes. Stump grinding removes the stump below grade and keeps new shoots from growing from the roots, so you can plant grass, shrubs or a new tree.
How far do you travel to reach Old Southwest Reno?
About 33 miles from our Carson City yard, around 41 minutes without traffic.
Free estimates
Get a free, detailed estimate
A certified arborist looks at the job before any work starts. Tell us what you have and our office will set up a time.
- 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 44 reviews (October 17, 2026)
- Best of Carson City, Best Tree Service, first place 2018 through 2025 (Nevada Appeal readers' poll)
- ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff
- BBB accredited since 2015, A+ rating
- Carson City based since October 2013
Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.