AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Billings, MT

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Billings?

There are acres and acres of natural beauty surrounding the greater Billings area. National parks and raging rivers with a background of mountains all set off by the tree life panorama that seems to stretch as far as the eye can see. Billings is beautiful, and so are the trees that live in and around the town. With as many trees as there are around Billings, one would think that dead, dying, or diseased trees just don’t exist here, but they do. Billings is just like any other town located near forests and mountains. The trees are either affected by diseases, weather, or soil conditions. Let’s take a look at the common issues with Billings trees.

• Diseases from Human Intervention. Have you ever seen a tree with a huge piece of bark missing at the bottom of the trunk, and the surrounding bark looks as if it has swelled to form a bulging ring around the wounded spot on the tree? That is what is caused by us humans getting too close with a string trimmer when trying to manicure the landscape at the base of the tree. Eventually, this tree will develop a large canker in this spot, and then will stop transferring nutrients from the roots to the rest of the tree. 

• Diseases from Invasive Insects. When the aphids and the borers team up, it’s not time for a ballgame, it’s time for these two species of insects to invade and destroy whatever tree gets in their way. Borers will ‘bore’ small holes anywhere on the trunk and begin to eat the trunk from the inside out while the aphids attack the leaves of the tree destroying its ability to provide oxygen, rendering the entire tree dead and useless to the human race.

• Issues From Soil. Soil can affect the health of a tree in many ways. Everything, from the inability to absorb nutrients through the roots to pH level issues that can eat away the entire tree, soils are essential to good tree health. If the soils are compacted, acidic, and expansive, then the local trees can only hope to adapt to those conditions to keep their health and appearance.

These are the major contributors to the tree issues here in the greater Billings area. The only other problem our trees face are from weather patterns, but we will be discussing that with you later on in this guide. Now let’s see how the City of Billings helps its residents when they have tree problems.

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

When a city like Billings wants to do something to protect its tree population, it usually has to be done wonderfully due to the overwhelming amount of trees that are in and around the Billings area. Yes, when there is any type of natural or even man-made disasters that require any trees, tree limbs, or other vegetation growth to be cleaned up, there are, within the City of Billings Ordinances, provisions for just that.

The City of Billings also has in place an entire section of their City of Billings Codes and Ordinances devoted to the protection and care of the trees in and around Billings. Their Tree Ordinances go so far as to even protect your trees on your property in the event those trees begin to be seen as a threat to anyone or anything. The only thing the City of Billings takes more seriously than their trees is the ordinances in place to protect those trees.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Billings?

Are you ready for us to give you a huge helping of Montana legal jargon? Relax, today we only hit the high spots and leave the heavy reading up to you if you choose to do so. We would hope that when you are faced with the issue of ‘just who in the heck owns this tree?’ that cooler heads will prevail! There have been many lifelong relationships between neighbors that have ended up in some states’ Supreme Courts for a final ruling on a tree dispute. Do not become one of those statistics. Be an adult, and if you are not familiar with the laws that concern these matters in the state of Montana, get your reading glasses out and get ready for that legalese we just spoke of. 

The laws concerning this issue are rather straightforward: whoever owns the property where the trunk of the tree is located is the responsible party. Some states say wherever the root system is, but in Montana, if you own the property where the trunk is situated, this tree and all the rights and responsibilities thereof belong to you. This is just plain common sense, and when you approach your neighbor and use some common sense, those cooler heads will prevail.

Now for a few ‘gray area’ issues regarding the same question…

If you’re a homeowner?

That issue was just answered. Your property? Your tree. Your responsibility. Don’t get mad about the situation, be an adult. Begin a semi-annual inspection of your trees that seem to be close to any property lines and try to take care of catastrophic tree situations before they happen.

If you’re a renter?

If you rent a home, the owner of the home/property is the responsible party. That being said, do not suddenly decide to do your landlord any favors regarding a tree by trimming or pruning it without his or her permission. You could be arrested and sent to jail if you do this and the tree dies as a result. If you and your landlord can reach an agreement on the trees to be trimmed or pruned, then there will be no fuss over the matter if one of the trees happens to die. Unless you have the City of Billings send out the city arborist, don’t just assume that a tree is dead and needs to be removed.

If you’re a landlord?

As a landlord, the same laws apply to you as to a homeowner who occupies their home.

If you’re a neighbor?

This is that ‘gray area’ we mentioned. Remember the rule regarding the trunk? Now, if the tree belongs to your neighbor and there are tree limbs and roots that are invading your side of the property line, you do have the right to trim those items back to the property line. If the tree dies because you did not properly trim or prune, then you are going to be held responsible, and this is where neighbor relationships have been dissolved. Keep an open line of communication with your neighbor, and when in doubt, contact our professional tree trimmers or seek the advice ofour arborists.

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Billings?

Yes, the soil in Billings has an effect on the trees both in and around the area. The expansive soil conditions throughout the state of Montana are due to a high clay content that causes the soil to swell when in contact with moisture and shrink when the moisture eventually evaporates. This causes the root systems of trees to become both unstable and unable to absorb any nutrients that the tree needs to thrive.

In several areas of Billings, the soil analysis has revealed that the entire area suffers from soil that has severe erosion problems. Eroded soils are very fine and almost powder-like. This is the result of these areas being underwater in the past or those that have seen swift currents washed away certain aspects of the soil spectrum, leaving it essentially worthless. Not good news for a healthy stand of trees!

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Billings?

The only thing worse than problematic soils for the health of trees is the weather conditions that can destroy them in an instant. The area where the City of Billings is located doesn’t see much in the way of extreme weather. The only thing extreme about the weather in Billings, Montana is how brutally cold it can get when the temperatures in winter can plummet to 15 degrees below zero… and lower. Then, sometimes, there is the exact opposite of that when summer temperatures can reach triple digits. This wide temperature gap doesn’t really seem to bother the trees of the greater Billings area, but the number of dead trees after the winter thaw exceeds all other trees lost to natural disasters in Billings.

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Billings?

In Billings, the process in which you go about reporting a tree on a power line, or a tree that poses a threat to the flow of power is pretty straightforward. Simply go to the webpage tool for reporting the matter to Montana-Dakota Utilities or call 800-638-3278.

Montana-Dakota Utilities has a tree division that will promptly return your phone call or your request for emergency service to restore the flow of electricity to the grid. This same division also maintains the power lines throughout the region, and if your property has not been trimmed in over 1 year, they suggest that you get in touch with them to see how soon they will be coming to your area.  

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Billings?

The final item in our guide today is that of money: The costs associated with tree removal in Billings, Montana. The way we are going to post this information is by giving you the averages according to low, high, and price paid for tree removal in Billings. So, here are those averages:

• Average low cost for tree removal in Billings, MT: $515
• Average high cost for tree removal in Billings, MT: $700
• Average price paid for tree removal in Billings, MT: $607

Those are the averages for removing a medium-sized tree less than 40 feet tall that required no cutting because it was dead and the tree had come down on its own. A live tree that grows significantly taller can top $2,000 for removal. Taking that scenario into consideration, let’s take a look at some contributing factors that could make the cost of your Billings tree removal a bit more, or in some cases, a bit less.

Just How Big Is Your Tree to Be Removed?

As has been said, size matters, and having a larger tree removed will cause those averages to increase. You might have one of the “granddaddy oaks” that towers over 75 feet tall and takes three people to stretch their collective arms around the tree. Having a tree removed isn’t like buying in bulk where the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. Quite the opposite with larger trees!

Did Your Original Estimate Include Stump Grinding?

Most tree removal costs are associated with what it takes to remove the tree. If you want the stump to be gone as well, be sure to ask us to have it included with your original estimate or quote. Otherwise, be ready to shell out some more money for that specific service.

Has Your Tree Already Completely Fallen?

If your tree to be removed has already come down of its own accord, all you really need is a tree cleanup, not a tree removal, and this should be substantially less.