— Local Coverage —
A City That Grows By Replacement
Birmingham peaked at 25,525 residents in 1960 and is smaller than that today on the same 4.8 square miles. The city doesn't expand — it rebuilds, and a significant amount of redevelopment happens every year. That's the defining tree issue here: 60-plus-year-old canopy on lots that keep getting torn down and rebuilt around. Twenty-six parks and more than 230 acres cover over ten percent of the city, with about 25,000 public trees on a seven-to-eight-year trimming cycle. Getting a mature tree through a construction project intact takes planning, not luck.
— NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS —
— What We Do —
Services in Birmingham
Tree Removal
Safe takedowns of any size — from a single dead ash to full clearing along a driveway or fence line. Every branch and log hauled, yard left spotless.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Structural pruning, canopy thinning, deadwooding, and clearance work over roofs, driveways, and power lines. Healthier trees, cleaner curb appeal.
Stump Grinding
Below-grade grinding with chip cleanup and grade repair, so you can replant, re-sod, or forget the stump was ever there.
24/7 Storm & Emergency Work
Trees on houses, trees on cars, trees blocking the road — we respond day or night with the trucks, chippers, and skid steers to make it safe fast.
Land & Lot Clearing
Overgrown lots, buildable parcels, and property line cleanup. We drop, chip, and haul so your project can start clean.
Landscape Design & Install
After the trees come down — beds, plantings, sod, and hardscape done right by the same crew that knows your yard.
— Why Homeowners Call Us —
Local know-how in Birmingham
Don't Prune Oak or Elm in Season — Here It's the Law
Michigan DNR guidance is to leave oaks alone April 15 to July 15. Birmingham goes further and makes it a code requirement: oak and elm trees, public or private, must not be pruned between April 1 and October 15. If one gets injured in those months, the wound has to be cleaned up and sealed. We plan oak and elm work for the dormant season here.
Construction Is Where Trees Die
Most of the mature trees we're called to remove in Birmingham didn't fail in a storm — they were slowly killed by grade changes, trenching, and equipment parked over their roots during a build. Birmingham's root protection zone is generally the full drip line. Get us out before the excavator, not after.
Pests the City Actively Tracks
Birmingham's arborist inspects elms on public and private property each June and tags infected trees for owner removal. Spotted lanternfly was trapped in the city by the railroad tracks in fall 2025, and box tree moth has turned up on private properties and at Greenwood Cemetery. We know what the city is watching for.
Careful Work on Small, Expensive Lots
Birmingham lots are tight and everything around them is finished — pavers, irrigation, landscape lighting, a neighbor's slate roof twenty feet away. We rig and lower rather than drop, and we plan access before the truck shows up.
— Local Rules —
Birmingham Tree Rules Worth Knowing
Birmingham's tree ordinance is Chapter 118. It surprises people in both directions — here's what it actually says.
No Permit for Your Own Trees
The City puts it plainly: trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner, and planting, maintenance, and removals are at the owner's discretion. There is no landmark-tree diameter threshold on private property in Birmingham.
But Your Contractor Has to Be Registered
This is the part almost nobody knows. Any company doing work on a public or private tree inside Birmingham must be registered as a Tree Service with the City Clerk's Office, pay a registration fee, and execute a bond with the City. That applies to backyard work, not just street trees. Ask whoever you hire whether they're registered.
Public Trees Need a Permit — Including Root Pruning
Any work on a right-of-way or park tree requires a City permit, and that includes root pruning. Homeowners get door-hanger notice before the City removes a right-of-way tree. Trees just inside the sidewalk are often shared-ownership and treated as public.
Construction Triggers a Tree Protection Plan
No construction happens in Birmingham without an approved site plan showing all private trees on the property and within 25 feet of it, plus a separate Tree Protection Plan before work starts. Within six feet of a public tree, a wooden frame box goes up first, and building material stays at least four feet back.
The City Will Stop Your Job
Birmingham reserves the right to halt construction or withhold a certificate of occupancy, permit, or inspection until tree protection requirements are met. Violations are civil infractions starting at $500 per tree and $1,000 per tree after that, plus damage assessment that's tripled for negligent behavior and inch-for-inch replacement by diameter.
Clearance and Prohibited Species
Owners have to keep 14 feet of clearance over the street and 8 feet over the sidewalk. The City also publishes a prohibited species list that applies to public and private property alike, and can require an owner to remove those plants at their own expense.
Ordinances change — confirm current requirements with Birmingham before planting or removing.
— Our Process —
How a Job Goes
- ✓Free on-site estimate, usually within the week
- ✓Clear written quote — no surprise add-ons
- ✓Scheduled crew arrives in marked trucks with proper gear
- ✓Careful rigging around houses, fences, and landscaping
- ✓Every branch and log chipped or hauled off-site
- ✓Yard raked and blown clean before we leave
— Nearby Cities —
Also serving near Birmingham
Don't see your city? Ask us — we travel across all of Southeast Michigan.