AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Folsom, CA

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Folsom?

Located not far from California’s state capital and in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Folsom is a town with much to offer the nature lover. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, for example, offers hiking, biking, running, camping, and more. The recreation area also includes Lake Natoma, which is popular with water sports enthusiasts.

While enjoying the great outdoors, residents of Folsom and the surrounding area have the opportunity to admire the different types of trees that are native to the area. Of course, as is the case anywhere, a once-beautiful tree in Folsom might begin showing signs of disease, infestation, or age, and may eventually need to be removed.

Folsom’s trees are facing more difficulties than many trees elsewhere in the United States. Most pressing among these difficulties is the years of drought that have ravaged Northern California, including Sacramento County. The many years of insufficient precipitation have weakened local trees and made them susceptible to the effects of the native bark beetle. In drought-stressed trees, bark beetles can proliferate quickly and nearly unchecked, creating a landscape similar to one ravaged by fire. This is because when trees are stressed, they are often incapable of producing the defensive pitch necessary to thwart invading beetles.

A drought-related tree issue particular to Folsom is the presence of diseased redwood trees that were at one point transplanted from coastal areas. When these giant trees were planted years ago in Folsom neighborhoods, little forethought was given to how they would impact the houses they grew near when they began to reach their mature heights. As the trees have been impacted by drought, the threat that they pose to the homes around them has grown, and residents have found themselves facing the prospect of spending thousands of dollars to have them removed.

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

Property owners in Folsom play a key role in keeping residents safe from the dangers posed by sick or dying trees. Generally speaking, property owners are considered responsible for the costs associated with maintaining or removing the trees on their property and should not expect assistance from the city with these issues.

Folsom takes the maintenance of trees very seriously, and for this reason, the city has a Tree Preservation Ordinance in place. The document requires that property owners complete a permit application before removing protected trees from their property. Protected trees include:

1. Native Oak Trees (coast live oak, blue oak, valley oak, and interior live oak) with a DSH of 6″ or greater 2. Heritage Trees – Trees with a trunk diameter (DSH) of 30″ or greater
2. Street Trees – Public and private trees of any size within 12.5′ of a street or sidewalk
3. Parking Lot Shading Trees – Trees of any size planted in a parking lot to satisfy shade coverage requirements
4. Regulated Trees – Trees of any size required as a condition of development project approval

Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Folsom?

A general principle in issues related to trees in California is that a tree is yours to deal with if it is on your property. As a result, if your tree were to fall over due to disease or storm damage, you would be responsible, as the landowner, for having it removed. Of course, life is never quite as simple as we would like it to be, so there may be other factors to consider when it comes to tree responsibility. Homeowners, renters, and neighbors may all have different views of the subject.

If You’re a Homeowner?

If you’re a homeowner, you will generally be responsible for removing trees that have fallen on your property. If you find yourself in need of such services, you may wish to see whether your homeowners’ insurance company can assist with the cost, particularly if the fallen tree has caused damage to your house. Just keep in mind any deductibles when determining whether it would be worth it to pursue a possible insurance claim.

If You’re a Renter?

Tree maintenance is legally on the landlord in California, so unless your lease specifies otherwise, you should not be expected to remove trees from the property where you’re renting. If you see a problem with a tree, let your landlord know so that they can hire a professional like Tree Triage to deal with the situation.

If You’re a Landlord?

Because they are the property owner, a landlord will be expected to pay for the removal costs of any tree whose trunk is on his or her property that has become diseased or has died. The only possible exception to this would be if there was an arrangement spelled out in the lease that gave this responsibility to the tenant.

If You’re a Neighbor?

In general, in California, if you’re a neighbor, you don’t have many rights when it comes to trees on another’s property, or even when it comes to branches from your neighbor’s property extending onto your own. In the state, trees belong entirely to the person on whose land the tree’s trunk is located, even if its roots and branches extend elsewhere. If a tree’s trunk is located on a property line, however, then the tree belongs to all parties.

For an in-depth rundown on California law related to trees and property lines, see this helpful guide from the Hastings Environmental Law Journal. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Folsom?

Much of the soil in Folsom is sandy loam soil, which is soil composed mostly of sand and silt, with smaller amounts of clay. Loam is generally helpful for plant growth, due to the higher amounts of nutrients that it contains than sandier soils. Moreover, it has a better drainage capacity than clay soils, which helps prevent issues such as root rot. In certain areas of Sacramento County, the sloped terrain can prove challenging for tree growth, due to the potential for issues such as erosion.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Folsom?

As mentioned earlier, drought is a large concern in Folsom, as elsewhere in Northern California. Not only can drought contribute to issues such as bark beetle infestations, but it can also create extreme fire hazards. As the City of Folsom writes in its Community Wildfire Protection Plan, “The varied topography, fuel loading, and history of wildland fire ignitions combined with extensive and diverse use activities have many of the elements for a wildfire occurrence of catastrophic portions.” The document goes on to state that “The natural fuels available in the City vary greatly in the rate and intensity of burning. Fires in heavy brush and stands of trees burn with great intensity but more slowly than in dry grass and leaves.” Wherever you are in the City of Folsom, it is important to remain drought and weather-aware.

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Folsom?

PG&E conducts an ongoing maintenance program to keep trees located near property lines properly trimmed, or to remove them when needed. Should PG&E cut down a tree located on your property, they will leave the wood behind for you, as it is considered yours. If you see or are aware of dead trees on or near power lines, the best thing to do is to contact PG&E. They have skilled arborists who know how to properly trim or remove trees that are in danger of interfering with power lines. This is certainly not a task that you would want to undertake yourself.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Folsom?

It can be difficult to offer precise estimates for tree removal in a particular area, given the various factors at play in determining costs. Nevertheless, we find that in Folsom, the average cost to remove a tree is around $659, and a reasonable range of costs could be anywhere from $200 to $2,0000 or up, depending on the number and size of the trees being removed.

While this may seem steep, the alternative could be even less desirable. Diseased trees can end up falling on your home or a neighbor’s, and in the worst cases could end up injuring other people. In these cases, you could be considered liable. It’s always best to deal with potential tree hazards before they create larger ones.

Accessibility

If we need to spend extra time or use extra technology to reach the tree in question, it will of course end up costing the customer more. After all, time is money! If a tree that you want to be removed is already on the ground in an easily accessible spot (near the road, for example), you are much more likely to end up with a lower bill than if your tree is up a steep hill behind your home, or if our arborists have to work around many other trees in trying to remove the one you’ve called about. Given the slopy terrain in areas around Folsom, this may be something that you will need to consider.

Size

In the case of tree removal, it’s not necessarily true that bigger is better. The more work it is to remove a tree, the more it is going to cost the homeowner. Folsom is certainly known for having some large trees, including a wide variety of oaks. For this reason, it may end up seeming particularly pricy to have a tree removed in the Folsom area, but as mentioned above, the alternatives are usually worse.

Others

Some other factors that may contribute to increased costs include:

• You have made an emergency, after-hours request
• Heavy equipment is required
• There is high demand for our tree removal services, such as after a wildfire

Now here are some things that might decrease the price:

• The tree turns out to be smaller than anticipated
• You have provided a good deal of advanced notice to our team
• The tree is easy to access
• No heavy equipment is required.