Boise, Idaho
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Boise
Boise took its name from the French for wooded, after the cottonwoods along the river, and has called itself the City of Trees ever since. Nearly all the trees away from the river were planted and watered by residents, beginning with the irrigation canals of the 1860s.
- County
- Ada
- Tree rules
- Boise Community Forestry, Parks and Recreation
- Key local rule
- A city license is required for businesses that prune or remove trees on public property, including street trees
- Electric utility
- Idaho Power
- Main hazards
- Heavy snow, thunderstorm wind, drought, foothills wildfire
An irrigated forest in a dry valley
Boise receives about twelve inches of precipitation a year, most of it outside the growing season. The large silver maples, sycamores, elms, catalpas and black walnuts of the North End, East End and the Bench grew on water delivered by canals and laterals, and many yards in those districts are still flood-irrigated in summer.
Those trees are now 80 to 120 years old. They are the reason the neighborhoods are sought after, and they are reaching the age where trunk decay, limb failures and conflicts with houses built a few feet away become routine.
Subdivisions built since the 1970s to the west and south rely on pressurized irrigation. Trees there are younger, with more ash, pear, maple and spruce.
Boise trees and their typical problems
| Tree | Where | Typical problem |
|---|---|---|
| Silver maple | North End, East End, older Bench | Very large, hollow with age, heavy limb failures |
| London plane and sycamore | Harrison Boulevard and other streets | Sidewalk lifting. Otherwise durable. |
| Black cottonwood | Along the Boise River and Greenbelt | Short-lived for its size. Large limbs fall. |
| Green ash | Subdivisions citywide | Healthy now. The main species at risk if emerald ash borer arrives. |
| Blue spruce and Austrian pine | Yards and screens | Drought stress, ips beetles, tussock moth |
Community Forestry, street trees and licensing
Boise Community Forestry manages trees in parks and oversees trees in the public right-of-way. Work on a street tree, whether pruning, removal or planting, requires a permit from the city.
The city licenses businesses that prune or remove trees located on public property. If the tree you need work on is a right-of-way tree, hire a company holding that license. For a tree entirely on private property, the city license is not required and no removal permit applies, so look at insurance and ISA certification instead.
Idaho has no state arborist license. The North End and East End are historic districts, and it is worth asking the city's preservation staff whether removal of a prominent tree needs review. Eagle, Meridian and Garden City have separate rules.
Snow, wind and fire
- Winter of 2016 to 2017
- Record snow depth in the Treasure Valley. Limbs, carports and whole trees failed under the load over several weeks.
- Summer thunderstorms
- Dry microbursts with gusts of 60 mph or more, hard on overextended maple limbs.
- Foothills fires
- The Table Rock fire of 2016 burned to the edge of East End neighborhoods. Homes against the foothills need defensible space.
- Heat and smoke
- Long, hot, smoky summers stress shallow-rooted and newly planted trees.
When an old silver maple needs a decision
A cavity at a major fork
The usual breaking point.
Limbs that have been topped and regrown
The regrowth is weakly attached above decayed cuts.
Carpenter ants in the trunk
They nest in wood that is already decayed.
Limbs resting on the roof or wires
The tree has outgrown the site. See large tree removal for how such jobs are done.
What to do in common Boise situations
- This week
A street tree needs pruning or has failed
Contact Community Forestry about the permit, then hire a city-licensed company.
- Act now
Heavy snow is loading the trees
Stay out from under them. Do not climb on roofs to knock snow from limbs.
- This week
Your home backs onto the foothills
Clear dead brush and limb up trees before July.
- Plan it
A mature tree is declining after irrigation changed
Restore deep watering and have it assessed.
Boise tree service questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Boise?
Not for a tree on your private property. Street trees in the right-of-way require a permit from Community Forestry.
Does a tree company need a city license in Boise?
For pruning or removing trees on public property, including street trees, yes. For private trees the city license is not required.
Why are Boise's big maples failing?
Age. Silver maple grows fast, reaches great size and decays internally by 80 to 100 years. Many North End trees are in that range.
Is emerald ash borer in Boise?
It had not been documented in Idaho at the time of writing. State officials have asked residents to watch for it and not to move firewood.
Reach a tree service in Boise
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Boise area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
Limbwright is a referral service. Your call goes to an independent tree service company that sets its own schedule and terms. Ask for proof of insurance and a written scope before work starts. How this works
Call now
Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
(844) 955-1716Call nowCall availability varies by area and time of day