Tree Service in Marshall, WI

Marshall began in June 1837, when Andrew Bird, Zenas Bird and Aaron Petrie started a settlement on the banks of the Maunesha River. A fire wiped it out in the fall of 1838, and for a while the place was known as Bird's Ruins. After several name changes it became Marshall in 1861 and incorporated as a village on January 24, 1905. Through all of that, the river and its mill pond stayed at the center of town, and they still shape much of the tree service in Marshall that homeowners ask about.

The mill pond and its edges

The dam on the Maunesha created a mill pond that once powered the feed mill. The mill no longer uses it, but the pond is now used for water sports and recreation. For trees, a pond edge brings three things: soil that stays wet, roots that run shallow, and trees that lean out over the water for light. Those trees can be perfectly healthy and still be prone to uprooting when a saturated spring meets a strong wind. If a tree by the water has started to tilt more than it used to, or the ground at its base has cracked or heaved, it should be checked.

Working near water

We avoid dropping trees into the pond or river. On shoreline removals the usual method is to climb, cut the tree into manageable sections, and lower each one on a rope to a clear spot on land. It is slower than felling, but it keeps wood out of the water and protects docks, walls and the bank itself. Where a tree is anchoring a bank, we may recommend reducing its height and weight instead of removing it, so the root system keeps holding the soil.

Away from the water

Farther from the pond and river, requests are the familiar ones in eastern Dane County:

• Pruning shade trees back from roofs, chimneys and the service line to the house
• Removing ash that have died from emerald ash borer, confirmed in Madison since 2013 and now in most Wisconsin counties
• Dormant-season oak pruning, since the Wisconsin DNR advises against wounding oaks from April through July
• Stump grinding after old removals so lawns can be leveled and reseeded
• Cleanup after summer storms

A small village with parks

Marshall covers 2.29 square miles, including 0.17 square miles of water, and had 3,787 residents in 2020. Riley-Deppe County Park, Fireman's Park and Lion's Park are all in or near the village. If your yard borders public land, we confirm the property line before cutting near it.

A long milling history

The grist mill started by Ansel Hanchett in 1852 was sold to the Blaschka family in 1908, and in 2002 it marked 150 years of continuous operation.

Getting started

On a free visit we walk the yard, look at each tree you are concerned about and leave you with a written estimate that lists every task and the cleanup. If you would like to keep wood for a fire pit or a wood stove, we can cut it to length.

Call (608) 820-8710 or send the request form to schedule the visit. Get a free estimate