AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Manhattan, KS

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Manhattan?

Living in Manhattan is a little different from living in that other place called Manhattan in New York City. One thing they do have in common is they respect trees and what they bring to the community.

As a Tree City USA for the last 29 years, Manhattan plants up to 200 trees per year in the city’s right-of-way areas. Many of the trees seen here are intentionally diverse to prevent disease or insects from going after one variety, like our famous ash trees. 

Typical tree species seen in Manhattan include various versions of maple, walnut, olive, magnolia, willow, and numerous oak trees. All are susceptible to the most insidious forms of nature, particularly insects.

As hard as city arborists work to prevent tree insects from wreaking havoc, it’s almost impossible to completely prevent infestations. Most insects that harm trees here are ones seen commonly in this region of the U.S., such as bagworms, emerald ash borers, and elf leaf beetles.

Common tree diseases also continue unabated, including ash rust, fire blight, and iron chlorosis.

Don’t forget about what human beings can do to trees as well. It’s far too easy for simple construction, like digging near an old tree, to disrupt its root system and cause slow tree death.

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

The Forestry Section of Manhattan is responsible for removing any city trees including the planting of new ones. To request the removal of a tree, residents have to go through the forestry supervisor.

Rather than go through a lengthy application process online, any resident can call the Forestry Section directly to request the removal of a problem tree. What constitutes tree removal is all contingent upon inspection by an arborist like us to determine how dangerous it is.

Typically, if any tree in the city poses a danger to utilities, human life, or property, the tree should be removed. Once this happens, the city doesn’t hesitate to plant another tree in its place, upholding Manhattan’s Tree City USA designation for almost three decades.

Once in a while, the city might also request a tree on private property be pruned or removed based on any risks it brings to the local community. For the most part, though, those who own properties have different responsibilities for tree removal.

If you are unsure of the condition of a tree, the Forestry Section of Manhattan is available to answer all questions and concerns through their phone line.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Manhattan?

No one can tamper with city trees without permission, and without approval, it’s considered a crime. A tree on someone’s private property is a different story. Who holds responsibility if a tree falls there is sometimes complicated, based on property lines and other circumstances.

How does this all apply to homeowners, renters, landlords, and neighbors? Take a look based on tree ordinances and state law:

If you’re a homeowner?

As in most cities, any Manhattan homeowner is usually responsible for their trees falling in their yard. When the tree falls on their house, it can lead to further expenses due to damages. The only way to work around this is to use a homeowners insurance policy to cover everything.

Sometimes the insurance company hires a tree removal service to remove the tree. If the tree caused no damage to the property, then the homeowner has the freedom to hire us to clean up the debris.

An exception here involves tree stumps existing between property lines. When this happens, the property owners on each side of the line have to consent to split the cost of having the tree debris hauled away.

If you’re a renter?

Renting usually means deferring to the landlord in taking care of the yard and trees. Sometimes, renters agree to take care of trees and other yard maintenance when first moving in. If the renter planted a tree on their own, they should also be the one to take care of its maintenance.

Most of Manhattan’s renters don’t have to take any responsibility if a tree falls on the property they live on.

If you’re a landlord?

A landlord is still a homeowner leasing out their home to others. This means the landlord is going to have to take care of any dangerous trees on the property.

Landlords may get notices from the city about a diseased or dead tree on their property that needs to be remedied.

If you’re a neighbor?

All neighbors need to assess any damaged trees on their property or possibly face legal consequences if the tree falls on another neighbor’s property. After major storms, the legal tables can turn if the tree in question is still healthy.

Kansas law states that if a neighbor’s tree is healthy and falls on another neighbor’s property from a natural occurrence, the latter neighbor is responsible for the cleanup. Trees falling by a natural act is considered uncontrollable, hence no negligence is at play.

When the tree is already diseased or dead, and the neighbor was warned about it, a negligence lawsuit could occur.

Our crew tries to prevent these situations by helping homeowners check their trees and remove a diseased or dying tree before it becomes a hazard.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Manhattan?

Every local Manhattan resident should take time to learn about the soil on their property. It has a lot to do with how trees there either flourish or slowly die.

Kansas’s state soil is known as Harney silt loam. This type of soil is a great combination and is usually designated prairie soil as a result. For trees, it’s excellent, thanks to its perfect mixture of sand, silt, and clay. These characteristics are the best building blocks to help trees thrive.

One drawback is this type of soil can easily get dried out and face erosion during long heatwaves. Manhattan faces summers like this, albeit always a fixable problem by irrigating more and adding mulch.

Thank old prairie grasslands for making this type of soil as rich as it is. Still, other soil types might be found in certain areas of Manhattan. It’s worth it to have the soil analyzed to help you take proper steps toward tree care including the planting of new trees.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Manhattan?

Despite being a good place to live with healthy soil, Manhattan can easily face numerous natural disasters. The biggest threats are floods and tornadoes. Everyone knows about Kansas tornadoes and how devastating they can end up being for trees. Manhattan has seen its share of tornadoes rip through without warning, often knocking over old and valuable trees in minutes.

Another problem is flooding during the winter, when heavy rains hit. Trees with weak root systems can easily topple over when water overwhelms them. And let’s not forget about other severe weather, particularly frigid winters.

Ice storms sometimes hit Manhattan during mid-winter, placing extreme weight from icicles on tree branches. Ice at this level can easily kill a tree, including splitting its trunk if the ice prolongs.

With numerous extreme weather warnings always possible in Manhattan, it’s best to keep trees as healthy as possible. With proper care from tree experts, trees sometimes withstand these events to prevent a massive replanting effort in the spring.

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Manhattan?

Evergy is the main power supplier for Manhattan, with Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L), and Westar Energy, Inc. being subsidiaries. These electric utilities do a good job making sure power doesn’t go out during storms, but trees falling on their lines can still create messy situations.

Our crew occasionally sees power out for a couple of days after a major tornado hits the city. With so many trees down, it turns into a major job for us, particularly when those trees fall on or around power lines.

We recommend no one attempt to remove tree debris on their own in this scenario. Risks are too great when working around electricity. There also isn’t a way to know if the power is off when removing tree branches.

When it becomes necessary, we often partner with Evergy to help them with tree cleanups. This might also involve partnering with the city if the trees falling on the lines were on city property.

One thing we always make sure of is the power being off before we do any work. It’s imperative for the safety of everyone in the vicinity.

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Manhattan?

Based on everything above, it’s easy to see how the cost of tree removal could vary.

Regardless, the average price for tree removal in Manhattan is around $585, with the lowest being $196. It could go as high as $1,874 for an overly complicated job.

Take a look at other cost factors no one can control:

Additional Services

Most average costs are based strictly on tree removal and nothing else. When the stump also needs removing, that’s usually charged as a separate job. Other things may need doing as well, like root removal or even cutting up the trunk into firewood.

Sometimes all these services can be lumped together into a comprehensive price package.

Tree Accessiblity

Many trees in Manhattan are next to buildings, utility lines, or in woodsy areas. All of these areas pose challenges for our crew in reaching the tree needing removal. 

It might mean us needing extra equipment to gain access, something requiring an extra charge. We’d give anything to have all trees located on steady, flat, and wide-open ground. Unfortunately, it’s not always that way.

Tree Disease

How diseased an infected tree is affects how long it takes to get it safely hauled away. Tree disease can easily spread to humans or pets, something we’re very cautious about during the tree removal process.

Getting rid of a diseased tree may take more than one day to complete, bringing extended labor charges.