Detroit, Michigan
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Detroit
Detroit lost its elms to disease in the mid-1900s and its ash to the borer after 2002. What stands now is a mix of surviving street trees, new plantings and fast-growing volunteers along alleys and empty lots.
- County
- Wayne
- Tree rules
- City of Detroit General Services Department, Forestry
- Key local rule
- Trees between the sidewalk and curb are city trees. No permit for private yard trees.
- Electric utility
- DTE Energy
- Main hazards
- Windstorms, ice storms, summer thunderstorms
Two waves of loss and what grew back
American elms once arched over most Detroit streets. Dutch elm disease removed them from the 1950s onward, and the city replanted heavily with ash. Emerald ash borer, first identified in the Detroit area in 2002, then killed nearly all of those.
Maples, honeylocust, lindens and London planes now make up most of the street canopy, with large silver maples and a few pin oaks surviving from earlier plantings. The city and local nonprofits have been planting thousands of new trees a year.
Along alleys and on vacant lots, a different forest has grown on its own: tree-of-heaven, Siberian elm, mulberry, boxelder and cottonwood. These seed in against garages and fences and can reach 50 feet in fifteen years.
Alley and fence-line trees
- Overhead lines
- DTE's lines run down many alleys. Volunteers grow straight into them.
- Garages and fences
- Trunks press against walls and lift slabs. Removal gets harder as the trunk thickens.
- Neighboring vacant lots
- A tree on an adjacent lot is the lot owner's responsibility. That may be a private owner or the land bank.
- Access
- Where the alley is open, a truck can often reach the tree. Where it is overgrown or vacated, everything is carried out.
City trees and private trees
Trees growing between the sidewalk and the curb are city trees. The General Services Department's forestry crews trim and remove them, and residents request service through the city. In recent years the city has run a large program to clear its backlog of dead and hazardous street trees.
Detroit does not require a permit to remove a tree on private property, and Michigan has no arborist license. Check insurance and ask whether the crew includes an ISA Certified Arborist.
State guidance on oak wilt applies in the city as elsewhere: avoid pruning oaks from April 15 through July 15. A tree on a neighboring lot that threatens your property should be reported to its owner in writing. For lots held by the Detroit Land Bank Authority, report it to that agency.
Storms that brought down Detroit trees
| Date | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| March 8, 2017 | Windstorm with gusts above 60 mph on thawed ground | The largest weather outage the regional utility had recorded to that point |
| February 22, 2023 | Ice storm | Hundreds of thousands without power. Limbs down on houses and cars. |
| August 2021 | Repeated severe thunderstorms and flooding | Multiple large outages in one summer |
| August 24, 2023 | Storms with tornadoes across southeast Michigan | Uprooted and snapped trees in several communities |
Trees to remove sooner, not later
Any tree growing into the service drop
It will pull the line down in the next ice or wind event.
A cottonwood or silver maple with a hollow base
Very large trees with soft wood.
Tree-of-heaven against a foundation
Roots and trunk damage masonry. Stumps resprout unless treated.
A leaning tree on a neighboring vacant lot
Document it and notify the owner. See a neighbor's tree fell in my yard for how responsibility usually works.
Who handles which Detroit tree
- This week
The tree is between the sidewalk and the street
Request service from the city.
- Act now
The tree is in your yard and on the house or garage
Call a tree service and your insurer.
- Act now
The tree is on wires
Call DTE and keep at least 25 feet away.
- This week
The tree is on a land bank lot next door
Report it to the land bank and keep a copy.
Detroit tree service questions
Will the City of Detroit remove the dead tree in front of my house?
If it is between the sidewalk and the curb, yes. Request removal through the city. The forestry division prioritizes dead and hazardous trees.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my Detroit property?
No. Private yard trees are not regulated by a city permit.
Who is responsible for a tree on the vacant lot next to me?
The owner of that lot. If the Detroit Land Bank Authority holds it, report the hazard to the land bank in writing.
Can I prune my oak in summer in Detroit?
Avoid it from April 15 to July 15 because of oak wilt. Emergency cuts in that period should be sealed immediately.
Reach a tree service in Detroit
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Detroit 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