Tree Service in Cottage Grove, WI

Cottage Grove had 1,131 residents in 1990 and 4,059 in 2000, a 258.9% jump, and it kept growing to 7,303 by 2020. When a village grows that fast, its trees tend to be planted in a narrow window and from a short list of species. In Cottage Grove's case, a lot of them were ash. When the village adopted its Emerald Ash Borer Plan on July 14, 2011, it counted about 2,500 public trees including park trees, and roughly 17% of them were ash. Much of our tree service in Cottage Grove still follows from that: dealing with ash on private lots, and helping the trees that took their place grow into sound shape.

How the village split responsibility

The 2011 plan laid out who handles what. Dead ash in the public right-of-way are removed by the village, hazardous ones first, with neighbors notified about removals and replacement plantings. Ash in wooded parks are generally left to die and decompose unless they threaten safety. On private property, the village or its designee steps in only when an infected tree threatens public safety or traffic. All other private ash are the owner's responsibility, and the plan encourages owners to watch for EAB and replant with trees suited to the site.

What to do with a private ash today

More than a decade after that plan, an ash on a Cottage Grove lot is usually in one of three conditions:

• Healthy and treated. If it has been injected on schedule and the crown is full, continuing treatment can make sense for a large, well-placed tree.
• Declining. Thinning crown, bark splits, sprouts along the trunk and woodpecker damage mean the borer is winning. Plan removal before the wood dries out.
• Dead. Remove it soon. Dead ash become brittle and unpredictable, and crews may need a lift instead of climbing.

We will tell you which category your tree is in and quote it in writing.

After the ash: young trees need shaping

Replacement trees planted in the last decade are reaching the stage where structural pruning matters most. One leader, well-spaced branches and no tight forks now means fewer storm failures in twenty years. These visits are quick and inexpensive.

Brush and drop-off

The village collects brush monthly from April through November, set out by 6 a.m. on the Monday of collection week. Large limbs can be up to 8 inches in diameter and must be stacked. Only homeowner-trimmed brush is collected; contractors must dispose of what they generate. The Brush and Compost Drop Off at 225 Bonnie Road, the former Public Works building, is open year-round for brush under 8 inches but does not take stumps, root balls or dirt. Our quotes include chipping, hauling and, if you want it, stump grinding.

A young, owner-occupied village

Census QuickFacts reports that only 11.8% of residents are 65 or older, that 69.9% of homes are owner-occupied, and that the median owner-occupied value is $449,700. Families with young kids tend to ask two things: is the tree over the play set safe, and how much room will the new tree need? We can answer both on one visit.

Book a free estimate at (608) 820-8710 or through the form, and tell us how many ash you think you have. Get a free estimate