Midwest region
Tree removal and tree care in Michigan
Michigan is where emerald ash borer was first found in the U.S., near Detroit in 2002, and its streets lost millions of ash. Today most removals follow summer windstorms, ice and heavy snow, or involve aging maples and leftover dead ash. There's no statewide permit for trees on your own lot.
City guides in Michigan
Southeast Michigan lost a huge share of its street canopy to emerald ash borer within about a decade of its discovery. Many cities replanted with a wider mix of species so a single pest can't do that again, but standing dead ash still turns up in backyards, woodlots and vacant parcels, often brittle enough to break without warning.
Michigan weather loads trees in every season: ice storms in winter, wet snow in spring and fall, and severe summer thunderstorms. In August 2023 a line of storms with several tornadoes crossed metro Detroit, bringing down trees and wires across the region. Utilities like DTE Energy and Consumers Energy handle trees on their lines, but cleanup on private property is the owner's job.
Reviewed and updated
Ash borer, ice and summer storms in Michigan
Emerald ash borer
First found in the U.S. near Detroit in 2002; dead ash remain a hazard years later.
Ice storms
Freezing rain coats limbs and brings them onto wires and roofs.
Summer windstorms and tornadoes
Severe thunderstorms, like metro Detroit's in August 2023, snap and uproot trees.
Heavy snow
Lake-effect snow in the west and north loads conifers and soft maples.
Oak wilt
Common in the Lower Peninsula's red oaks, which can die within a single summer; infected oaks also pass it to neighbors through grafted roots.
Metro Detroit, the west shore and the north
- Metro Detroit lost much of its street canopy to emerald ash borer and sees severe summer thunderstorms.
- West Michigan along the lakeshore gets heavy lake-effect snow on conifers and maples.
- Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula have long snowy winters and mostly native forest around homes, so storm cleanup often involves many trees.
Michigan's tree rules and Detroit's programs
- Michigan doesn't license or permit removals of private trees at the state level; cities and townships set any rules, usually only for street trees.
- Detroit: residents can apply to the city's Dead, Dangerous and Diseased Tree Program, under which an inspector checks a private-property tree and the city may schedule a contractor to trim or remove it if it qualifies.
Sources (checked 2026-10-01)
Rules change and details depend on your exact property. Confirm with the city or county before work starts. This isn't legal advice.
Michigan's ash, maples, oaks and pines
- Ash
- Mostly lost to emerald ash borer; leftover dead ash are brittle
- Silver and Norway maple
- Common older trees; storm breakage
- Red and pin oak
- Oak wilt risk; prune in winter
- Siberian elm and cottonwood
- Weak, fast-growing volunteers on vacant lots
- White pine and spruce
- Snow and ice load in northern and western Michigan
Michigan's oak-pruning and storm seasons
Michigan's oak wilt rule of thumb is to avoid pruning or wounding oaks from April 15 to July 15. Summer storms and winter ice drive emergency work; winter is the main season for planned removals.
- Winter
- Best time for oak pruning and many removals; ice storm risk
- April–July
- Avoid wounding oaks (oak wilt)
- Summer
- Thunderstorm and tornado season
Michigan city guides
Detroit's guide covers ash loss, vacant-lot trees and storm cleanup. West Michigan gets lake-effect snow, and oak wilt is spread through the southern Lower Peninsula, which is why oak pruning dates come up in every Michigan guide.
Dead ash, vacant-lot volunteers and the city's tree program.
Michigan services by risk
Standing dead ash a decade after the outbreak.
Summer windstorms and ice.
Oaks pruned November through March.
Volunteer elms and maples over houses.
Michigan tree questions
When should I prune oak trees in Michigan?
Between November and March. Sap beetles carry the oak wilt fungus to fresh wounds in spring and early summer, so any oak cut in that season, by pruning, storm damage or a mower, should be sealed with wound paint the same day.
Is there still emerald ash borer in Michigan?
Yes. Most large ash are already gone, but the beetle persists and attacks ash as they grow. Healthy, valuable ash can be protected with treatment; dead ash should be removed before they become brittle.
Who clears a tree on power lines in Michigan?
Your electric utility, such as DTE Energy or Consumers Energy. Stay well away from the line and report it. Once the line is cleared or de-energized, the rest of the tree on your property is your responsibility.
Need tree help in Michigan?
Call to speak with a local tree-service provider about removal, trimming, stumps or storm damage. Describe the tree and what it's near, and they'll explain the next step.