Forestry Services
Tree Trimming
The Waterloo forestry employees are trained to trim trees on public
property safely and properly. Typical tree trimming involves:
- Trimming limbs that are dead
- Trimming limbs that are low hanging
- Trimming limbs that are diseased
- Trimming limbs that are rubbing
- Trimming limbs that are structurally unsound
- Trimming limbs that are touching a house or building
- Trimming for vehicular clearances and pedestrian clearances
- Trimming for sign obstructions
- Trimming for visual clearances at intersections
- Trimming or training young trees to develop good branch structure
as the tree matures
For those interested in proper tree trimming techniques please refer
to the International Society of Arboriculture’s ‘Trees are
Good’ website:
The City of Waterloo schedules tree trimming operations by the following
methods:
-
Systematic tree trimming
This scheduled tree maintenance program utilizes personnel in the
most efficient manner. It also reduces the number of calls for public
request trimming and storm damage trimming.
The City of Waterloo is divided into 10 different zones. ZONE MAP Each year the forestry crew trims every tree in one of those zones.
This 10-year trimming cycle is nowhere near the textbook 4-5 year
trimming cycle, but it is a step in the right direction considering
the resources available. After this program was started in Waterloo
in 1999, the number of trees trimmed per year increased by the hundreds,
proving the efficiencies of this type of trimming.
-
Public request
Residents can contact the Leisure Services office (291-4370) Mon.-Fri.
from 7am – 5pm to request a tree located on city property to
be trimmed. This request is evaluated by the City Forester and prioritized
into the work schedule with the most hazardous done first.
Residents are asked to supply the following information when requesting
trees to be trimmed:
(1) Exact location of tree(s). Please give address and description
of tree location at that address.
(2) Why does the tree need trimming? (dead limbs, low limbs, limbs
rubbing house, etc.)
(3) Your name, address, and phone number.
- Storm Damage
Residents can contact the Leisure Services office (291-4370) Mon-Fri
from 7am-5pm or the Waterloo Police Department Dispatch after hours
(291-2515) to request storm damage cleanup from a tree located on city
property. This request is evaluated by the City Forester and prioritized
into the work schedule with the most hazardous done first.
We encourage residents to contact the forestry department and inform
them of storm damage to city owned trees to be assured the fastest service.
Do not expect the Forestry crew to be immediately aware of storm damage
to a city owned tree in front of your residence.
Residents are asked to supply the following information when requesting
storm damage cleanup:
(1) Exact location of limb(s)s and/or tree(s). Please give address and
description of debris and/or tree location at the address.
(2) If the storm damage is debris on the ground: How big is the limb(s)?
Is it blocking the street or sidewalk? Can you get out of your driveway?
(3) If the storm damage is a hanging limb: How big is the limb? Is it
blocking the street or sidewalk? Can you get out of your driveway?
(4) If the storm damage is a structurally unsound tree: What is wrong
with the tree? (Did it get hit by lightning? Is it leaning? Did it fall
on your house? Is it
blocking your driveway, street, or sidewalk?)
(5) Your name, address, and phone number.
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