When To Take Down A Tree

By Jodi Henke

The decision to take down a tree is easy when it’s dead. But sometimes a tree that’s still alive has overstepped its boundaries or become a nuisance, making that decision a bit harder. Thanks to storm damage and the threat of the emerald ash borer, we put an ash tree out of its misery.

John Fech is an extension educator at the University of Nebraska. He says trees are planted for a specific purpose. If the function and/or aesthetics have changed or it’s become diseased, those are reasons to cut it down.

“Additionally, one of the things I see as a reason to cut a tree down is the location,” says Fech. “If it’s planted in a location where it doesn’t have enough room for the roots to grow and the tree starts to die back as a result of it, you’re probably not going to be able to create more space for the roots to grow, so you’re in kind of a no-win situation in that regard.”