The city found more than 2,000 ash trees in its right-of-way

Tree Removal in Ballwin, MO

Yard removals, ash cleanup and stump grinding for Ballwin subdivisions.

We come out and look before we price, anywhere in City of St. Louis and St. Louis County
Each item on the estimate priced on its own
We confirm where the wood goes before work begins

Ballwin Took Ash Seriously. So Should You.

Tree Removal in Ballwin has been shaped by one pest for the past decade. The city says emerald ash borer reached Ballwin in 2015, when it had more than 2,000 ash trees in its right-of-way. Rather than contract out removals projected to cost millions over five to ten years, Ballwin bought a bucket truck and built an in-house crew that works year-round. That covers the city's trees. The ash in your back yard is still yours, and in a lot of Ballwin subdivisions the private ash are now standing dead, dropping limbs on decks and fences, and getting harder to climb safely every year.

What the city does and does not handle

Ballwin's Public Works crews remove and trim street trees, meaning trees in or on city-managed streets and public rights-of-way. They take out trees that are an immediate safety hazard or a public nuisance, working the most severe orders first. They do not handle trees on private property. A 2025 list of 63 dead trees on city property and right-of-way was approved for removal by contract, with nearly 200 slated overall. If the tree you are worried about is a street tree, report it through the city's Request Service tool. If it is on your side of the line, give us a call.

Street trees have rules

Ballwin's code prohibits topping street or park trees, and removing one requires prior approval from the Department of Parks and Recreation. So do not hire anyone to top or take down the tree at the curb, even if it overhangs your yard. Get the city involved.

A suburb from the post-war boom

Ballwin was settled at a site named for John Ball, who arrived in 1804, and incorporated as a city on December 29, 1950. Most of its 12,625 housing units date from the decades after that, and so do most of its yard trees. Fast-growing species planted when subdivisions were new, like silver maple, sweetgum, Bradford pear and pin oak, are now at the size where they cause problems. It is telling that Ballwin's recommended street tree list excludes ash, sweetgum, pin oak, Bradford pear and several maples.

Typical Ballwin removals

Standing dead ash near houses, decks and play sets
Pin oaks declining from chlorosis and dieback
Split Bradford pears after wind or ice
Silver maples with heavy limbs over the roof
Overgrown evergreens crowding a foundation

The city's cost-share program reimburses up to $100 when you plant an approved tree in the front yard or the strip between street and sidewalk, so a removal can be the first step toward a better tree in the same spot. Call (314) 668-1571 or send the form. Get a free estimate

Ballwin Tree Rules and Programs

In-house ash crew. Ballwin had over 2,000 ash trees in its right-of-way when emerald ash borer arrived in 2015. The city bought a bucket truck and formed an in-house crew instead of contracting removals projected to cost millions over five to ten years.
Private trees are the owner's. Public Works removes and trims street trees that are an immediate hazard or public nuisance, prioritizing the most severe work orders. City crews do not handle trees located on private property.
No topping of street trees. Ballwin's ordinance prohibits any person or firm from topping street or park trees, and removing one requires prior approval from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Tree cost share. The Residential Street Tree Cost Share Program reimburses up to $100 for an approved tree planted in the front yard or the strip between street and sidewalk. Ash, sweetgum, pin oak, Bradford pear and several maples are not allowed in the right-of-way.

Dead & Ash Tree Removal in St. Louis, MO

Our Services in Ballwin, MO

Ballwin Questions

Is it too late to treat my ash tree?

If more than about half the crown is dead, or bark is peeling away with D-shaped exit holes underneath, treatment usually will not bring it back. Ash that has been dead for a few years becomes brittle and unpredictable, so removal sooner is safer and often cheaper than removal later.

Will Ballwin remove a dead tree in my backyard?

No. The city says its crews do not handle trees on private property. They work on street trees and trees on city property.

Can you top my tree to make it shorter instead of removing it?

We do not top trees. Topping leaves large wounds that decay and regrow as weakly attached sprouts, which is why Ballwin bans it on street trees. A proper reduction pruning or a removal and replanting is the better choice.

Free Estimates in Ballwin, MO

Free estimates in every Ballwin subdivision.

Call (314) 668-1571 Free Estimate