City Awards Contract to Remove Thousands of Potentially Dangerous Backlogged Trees

Krewson, during a meeting of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, voted in favor of awarding a new $1 million contract to Michael’s Tree & Loader Service, LLC, a private tree removal company. The full Board also supported the measure, which will supplement ongoing tree maintenance by the City’s Forestry Division.

“We often hear from City residents concerned about dead or dying trees around their homes, cars, and sidewalks. That is what makes this work so imperative.

We are listening to those concerns and taking steps to make our neighborhoods safer and a more pleasant place to live, work, and play,” Mayor Krewson said.
Under the contract, about 2,000 trees will be removed between fall 2019 and summer 2020. The trees, which can be found in every ward in the City, are largely located in the public right-of-way and have been deemed for removal by certified arborists in the City’s Forestry Division.

Concerns over equipment deficiency and staffing challenges in the Forestry Division have hindered the City’s ability over the past decade to handle the volume of trees that need to be removed. The Forestry Division will work closely with the contractor to ensure coordinated and efficient operations throughout this important process.

“All of these trees might not be a total danger today, but that might not be the case tomorrow or the next day. That is why we are taking action now, using this supplemental appropriation,” Mayor Krewson said. The City intends, when possible, to replace the removed trees with new, healthier ones to increase our overall tree canopy. As always, residents with concerns about trees in their neighborhoods should contact the City’s Citizens’ Service Bureau at (314) 622-4800 to register a service request.

Additionally, the City welcomes anyone interested to learn more about becoming a tree trimmer for the Forestry Division.

Documents

• 2019 Map City to Remove Dangerous Trees