Large-Tree Pruning and Removal in Upland, CA

We provide tree service in Upland, CA, including pruning and removal of large yard trees, palm trimming, stump grinding and fire-safe clearance in Downtown Upland, the Colonies, Upland Hills and the foothill streets near San Antonio Heights. Upland's street trees are pruned and removed only by the City or its contractor. Removing a parkway tree needs a permit, and removal is limited to trees that are dead, diseased, hazardous or causing chronic hardscape damage. Call (909) 479-2666 about trees on your property.

Upland's tree care rules

Upland's rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 12.26, Tree Care. For homeowners, the key points are:

• Street trees are maintained by the City. Private contractors do not prune or remove them.
• Parkway tree removal needs a City permit and is limited to dead, diseased, hazardous trees or those causing chronic hardscape damage.
• Euclid Avenue trees are covered by Council policy.
• Heritage and landmark trees are listed on a City register.

For trees fully on private property, we handle the work directly, and we suggest checking with the City if a tree may be on the heritage register.

Big, old trees

Upland is an older city with large trees in many yards. In the neighborhoods north of Foothill Boulevard and around Downtown on 2nd Avenue, we see:

• Deodar cedars and pines that have grown very tall.
• Camphor, elm and sycamore shading craftsman and ranch homes.
• Pepper trees on older lots.
• Eucalyptus along property lines and old grove edges.
• Fan palms along back fences.

Many of these trees have never been pruned properly, or were topped long ago. They need careful thinning, deadwood removal and sometimes reduction of long, heavy limbs.

Euclid Avenue

The Euclid Avenue median and Madonna of the Trail area is one of Upland's best-known landmarks, with large trees managed under City policy. Private properties along Euclid often have big trees of their own. We work on those, and leave the median and parkway trees to the City.

Foothill and fire clearance

Homes near the foothills and San Antonio Heights face higher fire risk. Our defensible space service lifts limbs off roofs, removes dead material and clears palm skirts. Check the State Fire Marshal maps for your address.

Wind

Upland gets strong Santa Ana winds coming down from the mountains. Tall pines, eucalyptus and elms take the brunt. Fall thinning helps. After a storm, our storm damage service handles private trees. For any line, call SCE at 1-800-611-1911 first.

Dead and declining trees

Drought and heat have killed many pines and stressed other trees across Upland. Dead trees become brittle quickly and can drop limbs or fall. If a tree has died, plan to remove it soon. See tree removal and our tree health assessment if you are unsure.

Near Memorial Park

Around Upland Memorial Park, neighborhoods have mature trees on older lots. Access through driveways and alleys is typical.

Nearby

Upland borders Claremont and Montclair to the west and Ontario to the south. Pomona is a short drive southwest.

Pricing big-tree work

Large trees on older lots usually mean climbing and rigging, with limbs lowered over roofs and garages. We price each tree separately and explain where the time goes.

Heritage and landmark trees

Upland keeps a register of heritage and landmark trees, and some of them stand on private property. If your tree is unusually large, old or historically significant, ask the City whether it is listed before planning heavy pruning or removal. Listed trees may carry additional rules. Even when a tree is not listed, the same principle applies: big, old trees are hard to replace, so we look for ways to keep them safe with pruning before suggesting removal.

Replacing a big tree

When a large tree has to come out, replanting is worth planning carefully. Choose a species sized for the space, plant it away from the old stump and away from foundations and sewer lines, and water it deeply through its first summers. After a removal, stump grinding clears the ground for the new tree. Call (909) 479-2666 for an estimate.

Old topping cuts

Many big trees in Upland were topped at some point, often decades ago, and have since grown back as clusters of upright sprouts from the old cut ends. Those sprouts are weakly attached and tend to break in wind, especially as they get heavy. We do not fix that with another topping. Instead, we select the strongest sprouts at each old cut to become new leaders, remove or shorten the rest, and reduce weight over two or three visits so the tree is not shocked. It takes patience, but it turns a risky tree into a manageable one. If the old cuts have decayed deep into the trunk, removal may be safer.

Gardens under big trees

Older Upland lots often have lawns, roses and vegetable beds under large shade trees. Heavy pruning to let in more light can stress the tree, so we thin selectively instead. Raising the lowest limbs and opening a few windows in the canopy usually gives plants below enough light without hurting the tree. Keep new beds and digging out of the root zone close to the trunk.

Scheduling

Fall is the busiest season for big-tree thinning in Upland because of Santa Ana winds. Book early if you want work done before the first wind event.

Check the service areas page for the other cities we serve near Upland.