Tips for Hiring a Professional Contractor for Tree Removal/General Guidelines for EAB Abatement
- Solicit bids from at least three qualified tree care providers. Require a written job proposal and estimate. The lowest bid is not always the best.
- Consider hiring an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist. An ISA certified arborist is the credential for a professional in the tree care industry. You can find an ISA certified arborist by visiting their website or referencing Mequon’s registered list of tree care providers.
- Ensure that the contractor is bonded and insured.
- Cross-reference with the City of Mequon Registered contractor list.
- Specify no climbing spurs to be used while climbing trees that are to be preserved.
- Ask to see a copy of the appropriate American National Standards Institute pruning standards to which the arborist will adhering. ANSI A300 standards are the accepted national guidelines for professional tree care.
- Ask for references.
- Always ask questions! Do they know the City’s requirements concerning proper pruning, tree removals, planting, root pruning and pesticide application?
- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has guidelines for treatment and ash tree removal, both potential EAB abatement options: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/foresthealth/emeraldashborer.html. Click on “What You Can Do”.
- Ask neighbors, friends and family for recommendations. Both good and bad experiences can help you select the right contractor for your project.
- Consider getting together with other property owners for a larger contract. If a contractor is bringing the labor and equipment in to remove trees, each additional tree removal is a small additional cost. Whether you and a neighbor or you and your whole subdivision, both options can bring the per tree removal cost down.
- If you have a large number of trees that require removal, the cost for complete abatement may seem overwhelming. Be sure to ask the contractor, or an independent arborist, if there is an option for phasing. You may be able to remove only those trees that pose a risk to public health and safety, but otherwise wait to remove other trees in future cycles.
- Do not underestimate the importance of replanting. While you may have learned in elementary school about the benefits tree provide for air purification and habitats for birds and other wildlife, trees also assist in preventing soil erosion and provide stormwater benefits as well.
