Ice-coated trees with a fallen tree blocking a snowy road after an ice storm

Boston, MA · nor'easters and snow

Storm Damage Tree Removal in Boston, MA

Boston's tree damage comes mostly from nor'easters and heavy wet snow, which break Norway maples and split Callery pears. After a storm, report fallen street trees to the city, since they're public shade trees under Massachusetts law, call Eversource for lines, and have private trees on houses removed first. Triple-decker lots mean most private cleanup is rigged and carried out.

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When you need storm damage tree removal in Boston

Uprooted, split or snapped trees and hanging limbs after wind, ice or hurricanes.

A tree is uprooted, or the root plate has lifted and the soil is cracked.
The trunk or a main fork is split open.
Large broken limbs are hanging in the crown.
The tree now leans where it didn't before the storm.
Ice or wind stripped most of the crown from one side.

Often needed with: Emergency Tree Removal services, Tree Trimming & Pruning services, Tree Risk Assessment services, Tree Removal services.

Call and we'll connect you with a tree-service provider for storm damage tree removal in Boston.

Call about a tree emergency

Storm damage in Boston that can't wait?

Call now if you have any of these in Boston:

A tree on the house, garage or car
A fallen tree blocking the driveway or road
A tree or limb touching a power line
A tree leaning more than it did yesterday, with soil lifting
Large broken limbs hanging over people or the roof
A storm-damaged tree that could still fall

Lines first: if a tree touches a power line, stay at least 35 feet away and call the electric utility or 911 before anyone works on it.

Call about a tree emergency Emergency Tree Removal services

What storm damage tree removal in Boston includes

Assessment: What the tree could hit, its condition, and access.
Job planning: Whether it can be felled or must come down in sections.
Sectional removal and rigging: Limbs and trunk lowered on ropes near buildings.
Crane work when needed: For big or decayed trees over structures.
Brush and debris cleanup: Chipping branches and raking the work area.
Wood hauling or leaving rounds: Agree in advance which you want.
Stump options: Grinding is usually a separate line item.
Property protection: Mats, plywood or careful drops to protect lawns and drives.

What to confirm in a storm damage tree removal quote in Boston

Quotes differ mostly in what they include. Ask each provider to put these in writing so you can compare like for like:

Which trees are included: fallen, leaning, hanging limbs
Removing hangers from trees that stay
Hauling debris, or cutting it to the city's curbside size limits
Cleanup pruning of damaged trees you're keeping
Stump grinding for removed trees
Itemizing structure work separately for insurance

Before you call about storm damage tree removal in Boston

These answers let a provider in Boston tell you on the first call what the job involves and roughly how it'll be done.

How many trees are damaged: And which are down vs. still standing
Type of damage: Broken limbs, hangers, split trunks, uprooted
Anything hit: House, car, fence, lines
Hangers over people or the roof: These go first
Ground conditions: Still waterlogged? Equipment can rut soft lawns
Debris plan: Hauled, or cut for curbside pickup
Insurance: Whether you'll need itemized work and photos

Safety and permission checks

Power lines: stay at least 10 feet from overhead lines (OSHA's minimum distance for unqualified workers) and call the utility; only line-clearance-qualified tree workers cut closer.
Underground lines: call 811 a few days before stump grinding or digging so buried utilities are marked for free.
Permits: ask the city or county before removing or heavily pruning a large tree; protected-tree sizes and street-tree rules vary by place.
Who is responsible: a tree on your lot is usually yours, street (right-of-way) trees are usually the city's, and trees on lines are the utility's to clear.
Doing it yourself: picking up small fallen limbs is a homeowner job; chainsaw work off a ladder, near lines or on anything that could hit a building is not.

Have your answers ready? Call and we'll connect you with a provider serving your area.

Call for tree service

How getting storm damage tree removal in Boston works

1
Tell us what's happening
Call and describe the tree, where it is and how urgent it is.
2
Get connected
Your call goes to an independent tree-service provider serving your area.
3
The tree is assessed
The provider looks at the tree, what's around it, and access for equipment.
4
Scope and price are discussed
You get the plan and price directly from the provider, before any work.
5
You decide
There's no obligation; you choose whether and when to go ahead.

TreeRemovalServices.net is a referral service and doesn't perform tree work. How it works

Local conditions

Local storm damage tree removal considerations in Boston

What's specific to this work in Boston: local storms, trees, access, rules and costs.

Boston at a glance

Storms: Nor'easters, heavy wet snow
Street trees: Public shade trees (M.G.L. Chapter 87)
Most damaged: Norway maples, Callery pears
Lines: Eversource and 911

Nor'easters and snow load

Nor'easters bring hours of strong wind off the ocean, often with heavy, wet snow. Snow piling on branches, especially in early or late season when leaves are still on, breaks limbs across the city. Norway maples, the most common backyard tree, and Callery pears with narrow forks fail most.

Snow-covered street of townhouses with bare trees — A snow-covered street of townhouses with bare trees.

Street trees are public shade trees

Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87, street trees are public shade trees, and they can't be cut down without a Tree Warden permit and a public hearing. After a storm, a fallen or broken street tree is the city's to clear; report it rather than cutting it. Your own backyard trees are yours.

Boston storm safety: yes and no

Do this now

Stay inside during the storm and away from windows on the side facing large trees.
Afterward, look for hangers before walking under any tree.
Check whether your city is running a curbside debris program before paying to haul brush.
Keep all receipts. Tree work may count toward insurance or disaster-assistance claims.

Never do this

Don't run a chainsaw on wood that's bent, pinned or twisted. It can spring violently when cut.
Don't approach any tree near downed lines. Lines can be live even when the power is out.
Don't hire a company that wants full payment before starting.

Who to call after a Boston storm

Tree on a power line

Call: Eversource and 911

Street tree down or broken

Call: City of Boston (public shade tree)

Backyard tree on your house

Call: A tree service and your insurer

Neighbor's tree on your property

Call: Your insurer; talk to your neighbor

After a nor'easter in Boston
Situation	Call
Tree on a power line	Eversource and 911
Street tree down or broken	City of Boston (public shade tree)
Backyard tree on your house	A tree service and your insurer
Neighbor's tree on your property	Your insurer; talk to your neighbor

Snow-loaded limbs: what to do

Brush snow off low branches you can reach, sweeping upward.
Don't shake trees or hit high limbs.
Stay out from under limbs bent by snow; they can snap or spring back.
Check for cracks where limbs join the trunk after the snow melts.
Call about anything on the house, a line or blocking access.

Cleaning up a triple-decker backyard

1
Triage
Walk the property from a safe distance and list trees on structures, trees on lines, blocked exits, and hangers over walkways.
2
Emergency removals
Trees on structures and blocking access are removed first, usually in sections with rigging.
3
Hazard pruning
Hangers and broken stubs are removed from trees that will stay, with clean cuts at a branch collar.
4
Re-evaluate
Once the urgency passes, have an arborist look at the damaged trees that are still standing and decide what to keep.

Tree trunk split and snapped by wind, with the broken top on the ground — A trunk snapped by wind with the top on the ground. A split to the ground like this usually means removal; broken small limbs usually don't.

Asian longhorned beetle

Asian longhorned beetle was found in Boston in 2010, and maples are its main host. After a storm, when broken limbs expose wood, look for round exit holes about the size of a pencil and report suspicious damage. It's another reason to inspect surviving maples closely.

After a Boston storm

Once urgent trees are handled, the rest of the cleanup and the trees that survived need attention.

Emergency Tree Removal
For trees on houses and lines.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
For broken limbs on surviving trees.
Hazardous Tree Removal
For cracked or leaning maples.

Private trees after a nor'easter

Your own backyard trees are yours to deal with after a storm. In triple-decker neighborhoods like Dorchester, Somerville-adjacent streets and Jamaica Plain, crews rig limbs down and carry them out through narrow side passages, or lift them over the building by crane. Broken maples should be cut back to sound wood or removed; leaving ragged stubs invites decay.

Boston storm damage questions

A street tree came down in a Boston storm. Can I remove it?

No. Street trees are public shade trees under state law; report it to the city to clear.

Why do so many Norway maples break in Boston storms?

They're very common, carry heavy crowns and often have weak branch attachments that fail under wind and wet snow.

Who handles a tree on power lines in Boston?

Eversource, and 911 for sparks or fire.

Should I knock snow off my trees during a nor'easter?

Gently brush low branches you can reach, sweeping upward. Don't shake trees or hit high limbs.

How are storm-damaged trees removed behind a triple-decker?

Climbers rig pieces down and carry them out through side passages, or a crane lifts them over the building.

What does Asian longhorned beetle damage look like?

Round exit holes about pencil size in maples, often with sawdust. Report suspicious damage.

How much does storm cleanup cost in Boston?

Access is the biggest factor on tight lots. See the tree removal cost factors.

Who removes storm-damaged trees near me in Boston?

Insured local tree services. You can call us to reach an independent provider in Boston.

More tree services in Boston

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