Illinois
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Illinois
Illinois tree work has two centers of gravity. Around Chicago it is parkway trees, suburban preservation ordinances and the aftermath of emerald ash borer. Downstate it is open-country wind, where a single derecho can take the canopy off a town.
Straight-line wind from Chicago to Carbondale
On July 15, 2024 a derecho crossed northern Illinois and produced a record number of tornadoes for a single day in the Chicago area, most of them short-lived and wrapped in rain. Trees and limbs came down across the city and suburbs well into the night.
The August 2020 derecho that devastated Iowa also reached Chicago, where a tornado crossed Rogers Park and ran out over the lake. In southern Illinois the reference event is May 8, 2009, when winds estimated near 100 mph hit Carbondale and Murphysboro and felled mature trees block after block.
Central Illinois adds ice. Storms such as the one in early December 2006 leave silver maples and Siberian elms broken across yards from Springfield to Decatur.
Who is responsible for which Illinois tree
| Location of the tree | Usually responsible | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Parkway, between sidewalk and curb | The city or village | Request service from public works or forestry. In Chicago, call 311. |
| Private yard in most municipalities | The owner | Hire a tree company. No permit in many towns. |
| Private yard in a preservation-ordinance suburb | The owner, with a village permit | Apply before removal. Replacement trees or fees may apply. |
| On the lot line | Both neighbors | Agree in writing before removal. |
Chicago parkways and suburban tree ordinances
In Chicago the Bureau of Forestry owns and maintains parkway trees. Residents may not remove or prune them, and a private contractor needs a city permit to work on one.
Illinois has no arborist license and no statewide removal permit, so the rules that affect private trees are municipal. A number of North Shore and western suburbs, Lake Forest and Highland Park among them, require a permit to remove trees above a set diameter on private residential lots and may ask for replacement planting.
Outside those communities a tree on your own property is generally yours to remove. Unincorporated areas follow county rules, which mostly address land being developed.
Ash borer, oak wilt and other Illinois tree killers
- Emerald ash borer
- Found in Kane County in 2006. The Chicago region alone had millions of ash, and most untreated ones are dead or gone.
- Oak wilt
- Kills red and pin oaks within weeks. Do not prune oaks from mid-April through mid-July at the least.
- Dutch elm disease
- Still removing American elms every summer.
- Bur oak blight
- Late-season leaf browning on bur oaks, worst after wet springs.
- Verticillium wilt
- Sudden branch death in maples and other hosts on old farm soils.
Storm-season warning signs on Illinois yard trees
Silver maple with several trunks from one base
The unions trap bark and split apart in wind.
A standing dead ash
Brittle within two years. Do not let anyone climb it.
A red oak that dropped green and bronze leaves in June
Possible oak wilt. Get it diagnosed before it spreads through root grafts.
Callery pear more than 15 years old
Expect it to split at the main fork.
After a derecho: what to handle first
- Act now
A tree or large limb is on the house, garage or car
Call for emergency service and photograph the damage for your insurer.
- Act now
A limb is hanging on the wire to your house
Call the electric utility. Keep clear of the line.
- Act now
The parkway tree is down across the street
Report it to the municipality. It is their tree to clear.
- This week
Broken limbs remain in a tree that is otherwise standing
Schedule corrective pruning within a few weeks. See can a storm-damaged tree be saved.
Illinois tree service questions
Can I remove the parkway tree in front of my Illinois house?
No. It belongs to the municipality. Ask the city or village forestry office to inspect it. Removing it yourself can lead to a fine and a bill for the tree's value.
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my Illinois backyard?
In most towns, no. Some suburbs require a permit above a certain trunk size, so check your village code before work begins.
When is it safe to prune oaks in Illinois?
From late fall through winter. Avoid pruning from mid-April through mid-July, and longer if you can, because sap beetles carry oak wilt to fresh wounds. If an oak is damaged in that period, paint the wound immediately.
Is a treated ash worth keeping?
If it still has most of its crown and treatment has been kept up, often yes. Once more than about a third of the crown is dead, removal is usually the better use of money.
Tree service in Illinois, by phone
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