AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Walkertown, NC

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Walkertown?

Although it’s considered cooler than most towns and cities in North Carolina, there’s no denying the heat of Walkertown with averages hitting nearly 90ºF a good portion of the summer. But, of course, this doesn’t mean we don’t get below freezing on occasion and endure wet and cold winters. In fact, we’re lucky enough to see pretty much all of it and whatever is in-between.

This also means our trees get the same experiences, especially since we have so many. According to Forest Resources, more than 60% of North Carolina is forested (with more than 18.8 million acres of forests). This is because there’s not much more important than the trees in our area that supply us the oxygen we need to live, give us the comfort and shade we need from the summer’s sunlit heat, the aesthetic appeal Walkertown needs to attract tourism and money, and more. 

To keep our Walkertown trees safe and healthy, you should ensure that you are planting native trees, like our state tree Pine, and keeping a lookout for common tree diseases in our area. The following tree issues are most common in Walkertown. 

Branch and Stem Diseases

Branches and stems are important parts of every tree’s structure, particularly since the tree’s branches and stems allow it to grow long and tall to reach the sun’s light (over competing trees nearby) for photosynthesis. 

The problem is, these trees often find themselves susceptible to untreatable diseases that attack their primary source of light. Of these types of diseases, the most common in and around Walkertown include:

• Sudden Oak Death
• Wetwood
• White Pine Blister Rust
• Fusiform Rust 
• Pitch Canker
• Wood Decay 

To identify these diseases, look for cankers, abnormal growths, seeping wounds, signs of fungi, and cracks. 

NC’s Most Destructive Forest Pest: Southern Pine Beetle

According to NC Forest Service, Southern Pine Beetles can be a disaster for our landscapes. In fact, they report that between 1991 and 2002 alone, the beetle destroyed at least $84 million worth of timber in the state.

The pests are known to burrow into the trunks of our most precious southern pines and feast on the inner bark tissue until the tree is too weakened to make it through another year. Although the threat has been significantly lowered since the early 2000s, it’s still important to keep a lookout because they can “increase to epic proportions” for seemingly no reason (at least that we know of). 

Symptoms include white pitch tubes, small holes throughout the trunk, reddish/brown crowns on the tips of your needles, and sawdust at the base of your tree. Treatments typically consist of cutting and removing or cutting and spraying. 

Other North Carolina Tree Pests

According to APHIS, you should also look out for the following pests in your landscapes:

• Asian Gypsy Moth — damages North American tree and shrub species.
• Asian Longhorned Beetle — damages hardwood trees and national forests.
• Emerald Ash Borer Beetle — damages ash trees.
• European Cherry Fruit Fly — damages sweet and tart cherries and other environmental hosts such as honeysuckle and dogwood.
• False Codling Moth — damages plants, fruit trees, and field crops.
• Light Brown Apple Moth — damages plants and crops.
• Spotted Lanternfly — damages fruit, ornamental, and woody trees.

Does Walkertown Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

The Town of Walkertown does not provide any assistance in tree removal for private property owners. Although, you should contact them for any problems or concerns with public trees.

Note that the tree ordinance in Forsyth County states that “no owner of private property shall maintain or allow to remain on his premises any tree or part thereof which is in an unsafe condition so as to affect the health or safety of the general public, or which may be injurious to public improvements, or is infected with a fungus, insect or other pests, or otherwise constitutes a hazard to public property or to the health or safety of the general public.”

Due to this measure, an assistant city manager, public works, or designee can either require that the property owner treat or remove the problem or take the matter into their own hands without permission, at the expense of the private property owner.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Walkertown?

We understand the headache of finding a fallen tree on your or your neighbor’s property and deciphering who is responsible for damages and removal. To make things a little less stressful, we have the breakdown on who is responsible for what when a fallen tree needs to be removed in Walkertown, NC. 

If you’re a homeowner?

If you’re a homeowner, big responsibilities that go along with owning a home and property are expected. With that being said, you are responsible for the trees on your property that fall onto your property, no matter the tree’s condition. 

However, if a healthy tree falls from your property due to natural causes and lands on multiple properties, the responsibility is split. Each property owner, including the city if it makes its way onto public property, is expected to pay the costs for the portion up to their property line. 

Other scenarios can make the responsibility yours or take it off your shoulders; those scenarios are discussed in the “neighbor” section. 

If you’re a renter?

If you’re a renter, good news! You are not responsible for the removal of any trees standing or fallen on your rented property. However, we do highly recommend that renters discuss any potential tree problems (i.e., dead, dying, damaged, health-declining, pest infestations, etc.) with their landlords to further prevent trees from falling and causing damages or injuries nearby. 

If you’re a landlord?

As a landlord, you are just as responsible as homeowners when it comes to all the big home and property projects. This is because you own the property and must maintain its livability and safety for the renters that reside on it.

For this reason, we suggest contacting our experts to keep up with regular care and maintenance for your trees to ensure they don’t fall as a result of neglect and not only put your renters a risk of danger but put your financial state at risk as well. 

If you’re a neighbor?

If you’re a neighbor wondering who is responsible, you should first consider the health of the tree that has fallen.

If a healthy tree falls due to natural causes, from your neighbor’s property onto your own, then you are responsible for removing the tree and paying whatever expenses are needed to repair damages, injuries, etc. However, if the tree fell as a result of neglect and decline, then it is your neighbor’s responsibility to not only remove the tree from your property, but also shell out the money for damages, injuries, etc. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Walkertown?

According to Soils 4 Teachers, the state soil for North Carolina is Cecil, and it is described as consisting of “very deep, well-drained, moderately permeable, residual soils.” This means that the soils in our area are not good at retaining water, which can be a problem for trees that need a substantial amount of water for nutrients and good for trees vulnerable to saturation. In these cases, regular watering can be beneficial. 

However, the soil’s clay contents, depth, and structure are also said to benefit “the practice of growing crops [and] the agricultural practice of growing trees.” Although clays are commonly known to swell and shrink, causing land shifts, our wonderful clay soils are dominated by kaolinite, which does not. 

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Walkertown?

Weather has nearly everything to with tree health in Walkertown and remains to be true for trees everywhere. This is because even the most accustomed trees can be wounded by heavy rain or natural disasters.

According to Ready NC, natural hazards like drought, earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, hurricanes, landslides, thunderstorms, tornadoes, wildfires, winter storms, and more are likely in the Walkertown area. All hazards have the potential to damage, weaken, and kill our wonderful town’s trees, and in many cases, to the point of no returning its health. Unfortunately, the best we can do after these disasters is to remove the trees and yard waste that pile up.

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Walkertown?

It should be duly noted that any tree, dead or alive, near a power line in Walkertown should never be messed with by homeowners or any other residents. The job at hand is considered very hazardous and should only be handled by professionals.

It is recommended that residents in Walkertown call their electric company to address the issue. Duke Energy warns that “electricity is always trying to go somewhere [and] it goes easily through materials like metal, water, trees, the ground, and things with water in them — like animals and PEOPLE.” For this reason, you should call their Duke Energy Carolinas representatives for assistance at (800) 777-9898 or (800) POWERON. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Walkertown?

In Walkertown, NC, most residents report paying about $750 for removing their trees, which is more than $100 less than most other states/cities in our country. However, you should always keep in mind the following cost factors when determining how much you will pay for your tree removal service, especially since they can change that number substantially in some cases.

Tree Height

You should always consider how tall your tree is when budgeting how much you’ll spend on its removal. This is because a tree taller than the standard 30 feet will cost you much more than a tree under the standard tree height of 30 feet. We charge more for larger trees because the job takes more workers, more time, and more equipment to get the job done. 

Additional Services

To get a better idea of how much you’ll pay, you’ll also need to consider the additional services you might be interested in. This could be added protection services like spray treatments that cost around $70 or trunk injections that cost about $55 per trunk.

Another popular service is Land and Lot Clearing, which consists of letting our professionals take care of any yard waste following a storm and disposing of it according to laws and regulations. This service, however, can cost as much as $1,400 to $3,300 more, depending on lot size, amount of yard waste, and more. 

Hourly Rate

Finally, hourly rate is another important factor to consider. Most residents in Walkertown pay about $115 to $150 for a two-person crew. The total labor charge can add up if your tree removal is complicated by electrical wires, proximity to your home, or other personal property nearby that requires more caution during the removal process.