— Local Coverage —
Subdivisions That Grew Up Together
Canton went from 11,000 people in 1970 to nearly 100,000 today, and almost all of it is subdivision housing built from the 1970s through the 2010s. Sunflower Village's trees went in fifty years ago; Cherry Hill Village's went in twenty. That means whole neighborhoods hit full-size maples and oaks at the same time, over roofs, driveways, and the overhead lines that Canton says need ten feet of clearance. We work every corner of the township, from Cherry Hill to the Lower Rouge, and we're ten minutes from our Livonia yard.
— NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS —
— What We Do —
Services in Canton
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 Canton
Where the Ash Borer Started
Emerald ash borer was discovered in Canton in the summer of 2002 — the first place in North America. Every ash in the township has been dead for years, and the ones still standing on private lots are the most brittle trees we take down. Canton's ordinance now lists ash as a nonprotected species, so removing one needs no permit and no replacement.
Canton's First Year as a Tree City
Canton earned Tree City USA status for the first time in 2025, inventories nearly 7,000 public trees, and has been pulling out declining Callery pears and replanting elms, hackberries, and swamp white oaks. A township that spends that kind of money on its canopy expects the trees in its yards to be pruned correctly. No topping, no stubs — that's how we work.
Oak Wilt in Wayne County
Wayne County is on the state's confirmed oak wilt list. The beetles that carry it are drawn to fresh cuts between April 15 and July 15, and a red oak that gets it doesn't recover. Canton's ordinance protects oaks at 20 inches as landmark trees, so we time oak work for the dormant season and we'll tell you why if you ask for it in June.
Storms Along the Lower Rouge
The August 2023 tornado tore through Heritage Park and took out enough trees that the township replanted more than a hundred. The July 2026 storms put 492,000 DTE customers in the dark statewide, and the September 2–3 storms nearly 300,000 across metro Detroit. Properties backing up to the Lower Rouge trail, Fellows Creek, and the township's woodland areas get the biggest trees and the worst of the wind.
— Local Rules —
Canton's Tree Ordinance: What Changed in 2025
Canton's old tree ordinance was struck down in court, and the township rewrote it in June 2025. A lot of what's still online — including the township's own FAQ page — describes the old version. Here's the current one.
Small Lots: Four Trees a Year, No Permit
On a developed parcel of half an acre or less, you may remove up to four protected or landmark trees per calendar year with no permit and no notice to the township. That covers the great majority of Canton subdivision lots.
Bigger Lots: Four a Year With Written Notice
On parcels over half an acre, the same four-tree allowance applies, but the township wants written notice and approval first. A fifth tree in the same year, or any grubbing inside a woodland, requires a tree removal permit from Planning Services at (734) 394-5170.
What Counts as Protected
A protected tree is anything six inches or more in diameter at four and a half feet. Landmark trees are oak at 20 inches; maple, hickory, walnut, beech, and evergreens at 18; dogwood and redbud at 8; or any healthy tree 24 inches and up. Ash, silver maple, Norway maple, boxelder, cottonwood, and Callery pear are nonprotected and can come out any time.
Dead, Hazardous, and Diseased Trees
Dead trees, hazard trees, and trees an arborist rates as poor or likely to die need written notice to the township but no permit and no replacement. Emergency removals after a storm need neither. We document the condition of every tree we take down so the paperwork is easy.
If a Permit Is Required, So Is Replacement
Where a permit applies, each protected tree removed is replaced with one two-inch tree and each landmark tree with three, planted on site, off site, or paid into the Canton Tree Fund. Routine pruning that doesn't harm the tree never needs a permit.
Street Trees Need a Licensed Contractor
As of December 2025, any contractor pruning or removing a public or street tree in Canton needs a Canton Public Tree Maintenance License, a certified arborist on the job, and the public tree manager's written approval. Wayne County handles trees in its own road rights-of-way — Forestry Office 1-888-762-3273. Canton Public Works for a tree in the road: (734) 397-1011.
Lines and Digging
Canton's standard is ten feet of clearance from overhead electrical wires. DTE trims around its main lines but not the service drop to your house — that's the homeowner's, and it's work we do every week. Call MISS DIG at 811 at least three business days before stump grinding or planting.
Ordinances change — confirm current requirements with Canton before planting or removing.
— Questions We Hear —
Canton Tree Service FAQs
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Canton?+
What counts as a protected tree in Canton?+
Do dead or hazardous trees need a permit in Canton?+
Who handles the tree between my sidewalk and the street in Canton?+
When can oaks be trimmed in Canton?+
— 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 Canton
Don't see your city? Ask us — we travel across all of Southeast Michigan.