— Local Coverage —
Old Village Streets, Township Woods
The City of Plymouth was settled in 1825 and its Old Village grew up around the railroad in the 1870s — narrow lots, big street trees, porches close to the sidewalk. Plymouth Township is a different job: subdivisions like Beacon Estates went in from the 1960s to the 1990s on one-acre minimums, and forty years later every one of those lots has full-size oaks and maples. Miller Woods, in the township, still holds ten acres of old-growth beech and sugar maple with trees cored at more than 350 years old. That's the forest these yards came out of, and we bring the equipment for it.
— NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS —
— What We Do —
Services in Plymouth
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 Plymouth
Nobody Tops Trees Here
Both the City of Plymouth and Plymouth Township prohibit topping a tree outright — cutting limbs back to stubs. The city's fine starts at $500 per violation. We've never topped a tree and never will; we prune to the collar so the tree stays strong and the cut heals.
Hines Park and the Middle Rouge
Edward Hines Park runs 17 miles along the Middle Rouge from Northville through Plymouth to Dearborn, and the Ann Arbor Trail neighborhoods that back up to it get the biggest trees and the worst of the wind. In the September 2–3, 2026 storms the National Weather Service logged numerous large branches down across Plymouth with power out around the city. We're a few minutes away for storm calls.
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. We schedule oak pruning for the dormant season and we'll say so if you ask for it in June.
The Ash Are Long Gone
Plymouth sits a few miles from where emerald ash borer was first found in 2002, and both the city and the township now ban planting ash. The dead ones still standing on township lots are the most brittle trees we take down, and we don't climb them to do it.
— Local Rules —
Plymouth Tree Rules: City vs. Township
Neither the city nor the township requires a homeowner to get a permit to remove a tree in the yard, but both have rules that matter. Here's the short version.
City of Plymouth: No Removal Permit
The city's tree ordinance (Chapter 34, Article I, updated by Ordinance 2024-02 in May 2024) has no permit, no landmark thresholds, and no replacement rule for private trees. The city can order a dead or hazardous private tree removed within 30 days, and a diseased one treated or removed.
City: Pulling a Building Permit Changes That
If you're pulling a building permit — an addition, deck, fence, pool, driveway, or demolition — existing trees have to be shown on a survey with a tree protection plan, and a barrier goes up at the dripline before work starts. Plan your tree work before the contractor does.
City Street Trees: The Owner Pays for the Assessment
To have a city street tree removed, you request it in writing; the city sends an ISA certified arborist within ten business days, and the property owner pays for that assessment. If the tree is dead, diseased, or dying, the city removes it at its own cost. Healthy street trees stay. Municipal Services: (734) 453-1234.
Plymouth Township: Permits Are for Developers
The township's Tree Ordinance (Ordinance 1016, Amendment 25, adopted July 2021) requires a tree removal permit only when a developer plans to remove a heritage tree — any live tree 18 inches or more in diameter — with inch-for-inch replacement. An existing homeowner maintaining their own lot needs no permit.
Township Street Trees Belong to Wayne County
Plymouth Township roads are Wayne County roads. A request to remove a street tree goes in writing to the Township Building Department, which refers it to the Wayne County Department of Public Services. Wayne County Forestry Office: 1-888-762-3273. The township's residential street-tree planting program is paused for 2026.
Clearance Rules That Bind Everyone
Both jurisdictions require 15 feet of clearance over the street and 8 feet over the sidewalk, and the township bars planting within ten feet of an overhead wire or five feet of a water or sewer line. Stumps of street and front-yard trees have to be ground below grade in the city. We include stump grinding on every removal quote.
Lines and Digging
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 Plymouth before planting or removing.
— Questions We Hear —
Plymouth Tree Service FAQs
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Plymouth?+
Is tree topping allowed in Plymouth?+
How do I get a street tree removed in Plymouth?+
Does a building permit change the tree rules in the City of Plymouth?+
When can oaks be trimmed in Plymouth?+
— 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 Plymouth
Don't see your city? Ask us — we travel across all of Southeast Michigan.