Tree Service in Pittsburgh, PA

Tree service in Pittsburgh starts with the ground under the tree. More than a quarter of the city's neighborhood names refer to hills or heights, the city keeps up around 800 sets of public stairways, and plenty of backyards sit above or below a retaining wall. A maple that would be a half-day removal on a flat suburban lawn can take a full day here once you account for a slope, a narrow alley, a garage roof and a Duquesne Light service drop running through the branches. Most of what we do comes down to three questions: is the tree sound, what will it hit if it fails, and how can the work be done safely on the lot you actually have?

The trees that line Pittsburgh streets

A 2014 inventory of the city's street trees, done for the city's management plan, counted about 33,500 trees. Five species made up nearly half: Norway maple (about 11%), red maple (10%), Callery pear (9%), London planetree (8%) and littleleaf linden (7%). Each brings its own problems. Callery pears grow tight, upright forks that split in wind and wet snow. Norway maples cast dense shade, often develop girdling roots and spread into woodlots, and the plan recommended the city stop planting them. Big London planetrees and older maples lift sidewalks and grow limbs out over roofs. The same species fill backyards across Allegheny County, so the patterns we see on city streets show up on private lots too.

Pests and diseases that change the plan

Emerald ash borer was first found in Pennsylvania in June 2007, on a green ash in Butler County, about 20 miles from the city. Penn State Extension reports it has since reached every county in the state, and heavily infested ash usually die within three to four years. Standing dead ash turn brittle and hard to climb. Beech leaf disease, caused by a microscopic nematode, has now been reported in all 67 Pennsylvania counties; look for dark bands between the leaf veins. Spotted lanternfly reached Allegheny County and favors tree of heaven, the invasive tree that comes up along alleys, rail lines and vacant lots. And oak wilt has been in western Pennsylvania for years, which is why oaks get pruned in winter.

Wind, rain and hillsides

Pittsburgh gets about 40 inches of rain and around 44 inches of snow in an average year. Wet years matter: 2018 opened as the wettest start to a year on record here, and saturated clay soils on steep slopes set off landslides from late winter into September. Trees with shallow or damaged roots on saturated slopes are the ones that tip. Wind does the rest. The storm on April 29, 2025 knocked out power to more than 300,000 Duquesne Light customers and brought down large trees across the city, including on Shady Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Removing a dead tree or reducing a heavy limb before storm season costs much less than cleaning one off a roof.

Street trees belong to the city

In the City of Pittsburgh, a tree in the street right-of-way is city property, even if a homeowner paid to plant it. The Forestry Division asks residents to call it before hiring a private tree company. Private work on a city tree needs a tree work permit signed by the City Forester, 24 hours' notice before work starts, and supervision by an ISA Certified Arborist, and improper pruning can bring penalties. The city also notes a long backlog for non-emergency requests made through 311. If the tree you are worried about stands between the sidewalk and the curb, we will say so at the estimate so you can check with the city first. Suburban boroughs and townships have their own rules, and we confirm what applies at your address.

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What a typical estimate covers

• Each tree's species, lean, dead wood, cracks, cavities and root plate
• What sits underneath: roof, garage, retaining wall, steps, cars, the neighbor's yard
• Wires, and whether Duquesne Light needs to be called first
• How the crew and equipment reach the tree, and how the wood comes back out
• What happens to logs, brush, chips and the stump
• One written price per tree, with nothing added unless you approve it

The City of Pittsburgh is the center of our service area, from Brookline and Beechview to Lawrenceville, Squirrel Hill and the North Side. Around it we work across Allegheny County and into the nearest parts of Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties. In the South Hills that means Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, Whitehall, South Fayette, Peters Township and Canonsburg. In the North Hills: Ross, Shaler, McCandless, Hampton, Franklin Park, Pine and Cranberry Township. Along the rivers: Sewickley, Aspinwall, Fox Chapel and Oakmont. To the east: Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, Penn Hills, Plum, Monroeville and Murrysville. To the west: Crafton, Robinson and Moon. The older river towns and inner boroughs have small, steep lots and big street trees; the newer townships have larger yards, more oaks and more wooded edges. Each area page covers what we know about that place: who owns the street trees, what the local rules are, and what tends to go wrong with trees there.