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True Tree Service faller making a back cut on a large Douglas fir

Hazard trees, dead trees, wrong-place trees

Tree Removal in Humboldt & Del Norte County

Dead, leaning, or growing right where it cannot stay.

Get a Free Quote(707) 926-4983

★★★★★5 stars on Google · 100+ reviews · Licensed CSLB #1132934

What is tree removal?

Tree removal is the controlled takedown of a tree, either felled whole where there is room or dismantled piece by piece with ropes and rigging where there is not. True Tree Service removes hazard trees, dead trees, and overgrown trees across Humboldt and Del Norte counties, with the wood and brush handled however the owner wants.

When a tree needs to come down

Nobody at this company enjoys taking down a healthy tree. Most of our removals are trees that made the decision themselves: dead or dying, structurally failing, or standing somewhere a tree simply cannot safely stand anymore. The North Coast makes the case regularly, because our winter storms find every weak tree on the block.

These are the situations where removal is usually the right call:

Dead or dying trees

A conifer with a brown or bare top third, a hardwood that failed to leaf out, bark sloughing off in sheets, or woodpecker activity suddenly everywhere. A dead tree only gets more dangerous and more expensive to remove the longer it stands, because dead wood loses the strength climbers and riggers depend on.

Leaning and storm-damaged trees

A lean that is new or getting worse, lifted soil or a cracked root plate on the uphill side, a partially failed top hanging in the canopy. After a storm moves a tree, the next storm usually finishes the job. We treat moved trees as priority calls.

Trees threatening structures

Redwoods and firs planted decades ago that now stand over the house, roots heaving foundations and sidewalks, limbs bearing on the roof with every wind. Sometimes trimming solves it. When it cannot, a controlled removal beats an uncontrolled one every time.

Clearing for projects

Shops, additions, fences, gardens, septic work, and view corridors. We drop, buck, chip, and grind so your project can actually start, and we can leave milling-quality logs long if you have plans for the wood.

How we remove a tree safely

Every removal starts with a walk of the site and ends with a rake. What happens in between depends on the tree and what is under it.

Assessment and a straight answer

An arborist looks at the tree, the targets around it, and the access, then tells you honestly whether it needs to come down at all. If trimming or cabling can save it, we say so. If it needs to go, you get a firm written number before any saw starts.

Straight felling where there's room

On open ground we fell the tree whole with directional cuts, wedges, and pull lines. It is the fastest and most economical removal when the lay allows it, and reading the lay correctly is exactly the kind of judgment you hire a professional for.

Piece-by-piece dismantling over structures

In yards, over roofs, near lines, and between fences, a climber takes the tree down in sections, rigging each piece to a lowering system so nothing free-falls. This is the heart of residential tree work on the North Coast, and it is the discipline our climbers train hardest.

Cleanup and wood handling

Brush gets chipped on site, wood gets bucked to firewood rounds, left log-length, or hauled away, your choice. The site gets raked. Our reviews mention the cleanup almost as often as the tree work, which is how we like it.

What tree removal costs on the North Coast

Every honest tree company answers this the same way: it depends, and anyone quoting sight-unseen is guessing. The factors that actually move the number are the size and species of the tree, its condition (dead and rotten wood takes slower, more careful work), what it stands over, how much rigging is required, access for equipment and chips, and what you want done with the wood.

A small clear-drop tree and a large conifer over a house are different jobs by an order of magnitude. That is why our quotes are free, on-site, and firm: you get the real number for your actual tree, in writing, and it does not change mid-job. Financing is available for larger removals, because a hazard tree does not wait for a convenient month.

Permits and protected trees

Tree rules on the North Coast depend on where you live. Incorporated cities like Arcata and Eureka handle trees differently than unincorporated Humboldt or Del Norte county land, and coastal-zone parcels, park-adjacent properties near the redwood parks, and protected species can add another layer.

We do not leave you to figure that out alone. Part of every removal quote is flagging whether your tree and parcel need any signoff before work starts, so the job is done right and stays done.

What's included with every job

  • Free on-site assessment and a firm written quote
  • Technical rigging for tight spaces and structures
  • Full cleanup: chipping, hauling, or firewood rounds on request
  • Licensed and insured crew, CSLB #1132934
  • Financing for larger removals

Tree Removal across the North Coast

We provide tree removal throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties from crew bases in McKinleyville and Crescent City:

Our process

Simple, and only a few steps

Our process is simple and only contains a few simple steps. From the first call to the final rake, here is how it goes.

  1. 1

    Call or send the form

    Tell us what the tree is doing. Photos help. We usually respond the same business day.

  2. 2

    Free on-site quote

    We walk the job with you, explain your options honestly, and give you a firm number. No pressure.

  3. 3

    We do the work

    A licensed, insured crew shows up on time and works safely: careful rigging, quiet electric saws where we can.

  4. 4

    Clean site, done deal

    Brush chipped, wood handled your way, site raked. The job is done when it looks the way we promised.

Google Reviews

What your neighbors say

★★★★★5 stars on Google · 100+ reviews

★★★★★
“Jacob and the team at True Tree Service did an excellent job removing a large tree that was endangering two buildings, I had been thinking about removing the tree for several years. We found True Tree Service on Instagram and saw their team working/climbing trees cutting large trees into smaller pieces, and lowering down the pieces with a rope so decided to give them a call and within the week they were out here and completed the task in a few hours! Can’t thank the guys enough, and we are very much looking forward to having them back for other tree removal projects!!”
Stanford AlbaughGoogle review
★★★★★
“Jacob was thorough and effective, listening to my choices about what to do (and what not to do) on our property.Frank was amazing to watch in the trees, so safe, so sure, and careful. I thoroughly appreciated all of their good work.”
Roberta RussellGoogle review
★★★★★
“Jacob, Andrew and Issac of True Tree Service, are gentlemen that care about their trade and their customers. They listen to the customer and encourage their feedback on their work. TTS is very competitive with their pricing along with their quality workmanship.One cannot go wrong hiring TTS.”
Steve TurnerGoogle review
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Tree Removal questions, answered

How much does tree removal cost?

It depends on the size of the tree, its condition, what it is standing over, and how much rigging it takes to bring it down safely. A small clear-drop tree costs far less than a large conifer over a house. Quotes are free and firm, so you know the exact number for your tree before any work starts.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Humboldt or Del Norte County?

Sometimes. Rules differ between the cities and the counties, and protected species, heritage trees, and coastal-zone parcels can need signoff. We help you figure out exactly what applies to your property before work begins, as part of the free quote.

Can you take down a tree close to my house?

Yes. Most of our removals are near structures. We climb, rope, and lower the tree in controlled pieces instead of dropping it whole, so nothing lands where it should not. Working over homes without incident is the core skill of this crew.

What happens to the wood after removal?

Whatever you prefer. We can buck the trunk into firewood rounds and leave them, chip the brush into mulch for your beds, leave logs long for milling, or haul everything away for a completely clean finish.

How long does a tree removal take?

Most residential removals are done in a single day, including cleanup. Large or highly technical trees over structures can take longer, and we tell you the expected timeline with the quote.

Need tree removal?

Free on-site quotes across Humboldt and Del Norte. Honest recommendations, firm numbers.

Get a Free QuoteCall (707) 926-4983
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