AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Greenville, NC

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Greenville?

Greenville is home to many tree species, with Pine being among the most common species here. But like in most other cities, Greenville trees face several issues that threaten to endanger their existence and pose a risk to human beings. 

According to Aphis, the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is the most notorious invasive species that continues to cause havoc to Greenville hardwood trees and forests. Its effects dwarf other pests and diseases in this city (think gypsy moths, chestnut blight, and Dutch elm). To worsen the matter, scientists have not yet found a cure to this menace. So it’s crucial to identify and eradicate the issue as early as possible.

Other issues include tornadoes and storms. In fact, tornado-related damages in this city tend to be higher than the national average and North Carolina’s average. April 11, 2021 saw a tornado, traveling at approximately 100 mph, bring down several trees, especially in the Belvoir areas. The storms that swept through the city in May 2021 uprooted large trees, posing a threat to city dwellers. Other major weather extremes that threaten trees in this city include floods and hail.

Invasive tree species (76 to be exact) such as Mimosa tree and tree of heaven are also a major threat to native trees in Greenville. These species can spread rapidly and displace or inhibit the growth of native species (a phenomenon known as biological pollution). This situation may end up reducing diversity within the plant community, leading to an unhealthy monoculture ecosystem. In fact, the city already has 18 endangered species and 9 threatened tree species. 

Does the City of Greenville Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

The Greenville government provides a set of tree ordinances to guide tree removal. Since the city has only 443 trees per person, translating to around 18,600,000, the authorities strive to preserve all the native species. 

The city arborist has to lay out programs that regulate the management and removal of trees in city-owned lands, such as tree islands, parkways, and public rights-of-way. It’s their task to remove any tree that endangers public safety in these areas. They also offer advisory services to other government departments, firms, and citizens concerning planting, maintaining, and removing trees. 

These public workers remove shrubs and trees on all public lands and public right-of-way to enhance public safety or beauty and symmetry in these areas. They can also get rid of a tree on private land if it has the potential of endangering public welfare, cause damage to public utilities, or have harmful diseases.

Greenville’s city arborists also come through regarding issuing permits for pruning, treating, or removing trees. Whether or not you need a permit depends on the tree’s location, conditions, and size.

The government usually strives to protect endangered and threatened species in a bid to preserve their existence. So a permit is necessary if you must remove such species.

But if a tree is hazardous or dead, you won’t require a permit. Other trees that don’t need a removal permit include an invasive species, one that is too close to your home, and one whose size is not significant enough to warrant a permit. Once the state has declared a species a danger, you can remove it without a license. 

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Greenville?

Hurricane Florence reminded us how a decade-old or century-old tree could quickly fall under the unforgiving forces of rain and wind. The fallen trees and their limbs can cause damages to your property or your neighbor’s compound. So, who should bear the responsibility for removing such a tree and compensating the victim?

If you’re a homeowner?

If your tree falls on your property, call us, and we shall remove it professionally. If you have a homeowner’s insurance policy, it will come through to take care of the damages and tree removal costs. Did it fall over to your neighbor’s tract and cause havoc? Under negligence theory in Greenville, North Carolina, a homeowner should eliminate a tree that poses a reasonably foreseeable hazard to the adjoining property. So you’re responsible for damage and removal costs of a tree that:

• Had died or showed signs of dying before the fall
• Was leaning prominently towards the adjoining property
• Had limbs extending far across your tract line
• Had limbs that extended over your neighbor’s structures like a car parking lot
• You cut through the tree’s massive anchoring root

Yes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other “acts of God” events usually don’t assign liability per se. But the aftermaths of heavy rain and strong wind on a dying tree and its root anchorage could be considered as foreseeable events. 

If you’re a renter?

It all boils down to the lease agreement. If the lease remains mute on this matter, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to maintain the trees and other structures within the rented property. 

Consider having a renter’s insurance cover against damages that come with falling trees and other unforeseeable events. 

If you’re a landlord?

As seen above, the law looks at you like the tree’s owner. If it rots away, shows signs of dying, or poses a threat to your tenants or other people, be sure to rush and consult our Tree Triage experts to remove it before it’s too late. 

Did the tree die and fall due to your tenant’s negligence or mishandling? You’re still responsible for removing and replacing it. You can then sue the renter to get total compensation for the tree.

If you’re a neighbor?

The tree owner should compensate you for damages and pay any removal costs. Just be sure you can prove that the owner was negligent in allowing a hazardous tree to continue standing across the fence.

Suppose the tree’s owner proves that it was healthy, alive, and not leaning precariously towards your property, but fell purely due to an “act of God” such as a hurricane. In this case, they’re not responsible for its damages. Call us and have the tree removed as soon as possible.

Practically, if you have a farm hazard or homeowner’s insurance coverage, you don’t have to worry. It will take care of tree removal and structural damage costs arising from a branch or tree that fell on your property, even if it’s rooted on the neighbor’s land. Here, the insurance-holder (you) is not responsible for establishing fault; your insurance company will do that task.

Did your insurance policy pay a significant amount to settle damages and removal costs for a tree that fell due to your neighbor’s negligence? In this case, the insurer may pursue indemnity from the owner or their insurance company. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Greenville?

According to North Carolina Extension, most of the soils in Greenville and the state have low pH – they’re acidic. Here is where the issue of weak trees comes in. 

You see, extreme soil pH (less than 4.5 or more than 8.5) can increase the toxicity of some nutrients and make others unavailable. In this case, acidic condition increases iron, manganese, and aluminum availability and leads to a deficit of other minerals like potassium and calcium. 

So trees growing on such soils usually end up over-absorbing some minerals and under-absorbing others, causing poor growth. This situation leads to weak stems and roots susceptible to strong winds during storms like Hurricane Florence. That’s why liming is needed to raise the pH and enhance the availability of all crucial minerals.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Greenville?

Greenville gets an average of 110 days of precipitation (snow, rain, hail, and sleet) per year. While wetness promotes the growth of trees, too much of it can be problematic:

• Loss of soil nutrients 
• Root rot in trees that had been weakened by pests, diseases, and drought
• Falling trees because of loose soils, especially during hurricanes and storms 

Then we have the issue of drought stresses and high temperatures. In fact, the city experiences around 45 days of extreme temperatures (sometimes above 90°F) every year, which is hotter than most areas in the state. The hottest month in this city usually tends to be July, at around 89.9°F. Drought stress and high temperatures typically lead to:

• Trees shedding leaves early
• Pests and diseases infesting stressed trees

Trees in Greenville also face occasional storms and hurricanes that threaten to weaken them. 

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Greenville?

Trees falling on active power lines is a common situation in Greenville, NC. We usually receive many calls for tree removal and emergency brush around these lines, especially when storms and hurricanes hit the city. 

We all know how hazardous an electrical line can be. A single miscalculation can at the very least bring about a power outage or, worse, cause loss of life. So tree removal around these areas is a sensitive task that is better left in the hands of experts.

It’s the mandate of electric utility companies in Greenville to trim, prune, or remove branches, trees, and vegetation growing near their power lines. Be sure to call them once a tree falls on or leans precariously towards their power lines. However, their duty extends only around their pole-to-pole lines. 

If there’s any tree growing precariously around the power lines linking your home to the company’s pole, the responsibility of maintaining or removing it falls on you. That’s where our Tree Triage crew steps in to remove the tree and ensure your safety remains intact. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Greenville?

In Greenville, the cost of cutting down a tree ranges from $280 to $1,930 (the average figure stands at around $755). But the charges may go beyond the higher limit if we’re talking about complicated projects involving many trees or more hours. Other factors that come into play when determining the actual cost include:

Location

This one is big. If you’re living in an area where the cost of living is high, the figure will most probably lean towards the higher end. 

Tree Size

We also look at the tree’s height when calculating the real figure. Generally, it’s more expensive to remove a tall tree than a short one. The actual cost varies with the tree’s height as follows:

• 20 ft: $200 to $360
• 40 ft: $400 to $820
• 60 ft: $800 to $1,280
• 80 ft: $1,200 to $1,840 or more

Accessibility

Our removal crew may find it challenging to access the place where the tree stands. The presence of property, active power lines, and underground utility lines can heighten the challenges. In such situations, the charges go up.

Types of Equipment Needed

Our crews may also need cranes, industrial vehicles, harnesses, chainsaws, cables, wood chippers, and other heavy pieces of equipment. That’s why you may not manage to do the tree removal task yourself.