Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Albuquerque
Albuquerque's trees divide by elevation. The Rio Grande valley floor has huge old cottonwoods fed by ditch water. The mesas and heights above depend on irrigation and are losing the pines and spruces planted in cooler decades.
- County
- Bernalillo
- Tree rules
- City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation, Urban Forestry. City pollen ordinance.
- Key local rule
- No permit for private trees. Planting of certain high-pollen species is restricted.
- Electric utility
- PNM
- Main hazards
- Spring wind, monsoon downbursts, drought and heat
Valley, mesa, heights and foothills
| Area | Water | Trees and typical work |
|---|---|---|
| North and South Valley | Acequia ditch irrigation and a shallow water table | Rio Grande cottonwood, elm, mulberry. Very large limb and whole-tree removals. |
| Downtown, Nob Hill, University | City water | Siberian elm, ash, sycamore. Constant limb cleanup. |
| Northeast Heights | City water, drip and spray | Ponderosa and Afghan pine, spruce, ash. Heat-related decline. |
| Foothills and East Mountains | Little or none | Piñon and juniper. Fire-wise thinning and beetle-killed piñon. |
| West Side | City water | Young desert willow, pistache, ash on sandy soil. Wind damage. |
The cottonwoods are old
Rio Grande cottonwoods need a flood to germinate. Before the river was dammed and channeled, floods laid fresh sediment every few years and new stands followed. The last great floods were in the early 1940s, and most of the mature cottonwoods in the valley date from then or earlier.
That puts them at 80 years and beyond, which is old for the species. They carry trunks five and six feet thick, limbs the size of ordinary trees, and extensive internal decay behind bark that looks healthy.
Removal of a valley cottonwood is a multi-day crane job in most cases. Pruning to reduce end weight on the largest limbs can extend a sound tree's life, and it is a far smaller job.
The pollen ordinance and other rules
Albuquerque does not require a permit to remove a tree from private property. New Mexico has no arborist license, so check insurance and look for ISA certification.
The city's pollen control ordinance, in place since the 1990s, restricts the sale and planting of several high-pollen trees, mulberry and Siberian elm among them. It does not require removal of trees already growing, though many owners choose not to keep them.
Trees in the bosque, the cottonwood forest between the levees along the river, are on public land managed by the city's open space division and the conservancy district. They are not private trees even where they overhang a back fence. Street trees are generally the adjoining owner's to maintain.
Wind season and monsoon
- March through May
- Frequent afternoons with gusts of 50 to 70 mph. Elms and cottonwoods shed limbs onto roofs and lines.
- East canyon winds
- Cold air spilling through Tijeras Canyon hits the southeast heights hardest.
- July through September
- Thunderstorm downbursts, brief and local.
- Winter
- Occasional heavy snow, such as the storm of late December 2006, breaks evergreens and overgrown elms.
Hazards in big valley trees
A long horizontal limb with a crack on top
Typical of overextended cottonwood limbs. They fail in still, hot weather as well as in wind.
Wet, dark staining running down the trunk
Bacterial wetwood. A sign of internal problems in elm and cottonwood.
Hollow sound low on the trunk
Decay. Have the remaining wall thickness assessed.
Dead top after the ditch was shut off or the lot was paved
The tree lost its water.
Dealing with a Siberian elm
Decide whether it earns its place
It gives shade where little else grows without water. It also drops branches, seeds everywhere and invades sewer lines.
If keeping it
Have dead wood and weak limbs removed every few years. Never top it.
If removing it
Treat or grind the stump. Elms resprout strongly from stumps and roots.
Pull the seedlings
Each spring, before they root in along walls and fences.
Albuquerque tree service questions
Do I have to remove my mulberry or elm because of the pollen ordinance?
No. The ordinance restricts selling and planting those trees. Existing ones may stay.
How big a job is removing a large cottonwood in Albuquerque?
It varies widely with size and access, and large valley cottonwoods are among the biggest residential removals. The large tree removal page explains how crane jobs are planned.
Why are spruce and pine dying in the Northeast Heights?
Summers are hotter and drier than when they were planted, and irrigation habits have not kept up. Stressed conifers are then attacked by bark beetles.
Can I cut a bosque tree that hangs over my yard?
You can generally trim what overhangs your property line, but the tree itself is on public land. Contact the city's open space division about hazards.
Reach a tree service in Albuquerque
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Albuquerque area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
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Call now
Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
(844) 955-1716Call nowCall availability varies by area and time of day