Tree Service in Wilkinsburg, PA

Tree Service in Wilkinsburg looks a lot like tree work in Pittsburgh, because the borough feels like part of the city. It borders Regent Square, Point Breeze and Homewood, and its streets are just as dense. But Wilkinsburg is its own borough, incorporated in October 1887, so the City of Pittsburgh's forestry rules don't apply. Questions about street trees go to the borough, which has a Citizens Advisory Commission on Shade Trees.

A smaller town than it used to be

Wilkinsburg's population peaked at 31,418 in 1950. The 2020 Census counted 14,349 people and 9,197 housing units, with 15.2% of those units vacant. Restored homes from around 1900 line some streets, and the Hamnett Historic District was approved for the National Register in 2010. Between occupied houses, though, there are vacant buildings and lots where trees have grown unchecked for years.

The tree next door

That is the most common Wilkinsburg tree problem we hear about: a tree on a vacant or neglected property next door that is now hanging over a roof, a garage or a yard. Tree-of-heaven, box elder, mulberry and silver maple spring up quickly on unmanaged ground and get big fast. Tree-of-heaven is also the favorite host of the spotted lanternfly, which has been under state quarantine in Allegheny County since 2020.

What you can do depends on who owns the land. Generally you can prune limbs that hang over your property back to the line. Removing the tree itself needs the owner's permission, or in some cases, action through the borough's code enforcement. We can give you a written description of the tree's condition, which helps when you contact a neighbor, a landlord or the borough.

Working on a tight lot

Wilkinsburg lots are narrow and many back yards have no drive access. Most removals are climbed and lowered in sections, with wood carried to the street. Overhead wires run along many alleys and back lot lines. Before we work near the service drop to a house, we check whether the utility needs to drop or guard the line.

Parks and street trees

Hunter Park, at almost nine acres, is the borough's largest park, with six smaller parks besides. Street trees along Penn Avenue and the residential blocks are a borough matter; if one is causing problems, start with the borough office and its shade tree commission.

What we typically do here

• Prune overhanging limbs from neighboring trees back to your property line
• Remove trees on your own lot that are too big for the space
• Take out tree-of-heaven and other volunteer trees before they get large
• Clear deadwood over roofs and porches on older homes
• Grind stumps, or cut them flush where machines can't reach

Old houses, old roofs

Many Wilkinsburg homes have slate roofs, box gutters and tall chimneys. A branch that only scrapes a modern shingle roof can crack slate or knock a chimney cap loose. When we prune over an older house, we take limbs off in small pieces and lower them, rather than letting them drop onto the roof.

Call (412) 789-1968 or use the form. Get a free estimate