TREE care
Our urban forest includes all trees. The City of San Antonio loves trees and the wide array of benefits they offer the community.
Trees help manage temperature and reduce the heat island effect. Trees also help with stormwater, create beautiful community recreational space, increase property values, help improve mental and physical health, offer traffic calming and speed reduction, and so much more.
To keep trees safe and healthy, we have to take care of them.
San Antonio’s tree maintenance program is managed by a team of arborists and contractors. The program includes maintaining crown health, and achieving clearance specifications over roads, sidewalks, lamp posts, signs, and crosswalks.
Trees are assessed individually and are only removed if necessary.
FAQ
WHAT DOES ROUTINE TREE MAINTENANCE MEAN?
Routine tree maintenance depends on the safety and health of each tree and is determined by a team of professional arborists. Trees are assessed individually and are only removed if absolutely necessary.
REMOVAL OF TREE LIMBS
Dead, dying, damaged or diseased tree limbs are removed from healthy trees when they pose a risk to safety, health, or infrastructure.
REMOVAL OF TREES
Trees are only removed if they are dead, dying, damaged or diseased. If a tree is still alive, the Urban Forestry team will monitor the tree and remove it only if it has been determined that the tree is dead, unable to fully recover, or poses a risk to the park or park visitors.
Removal is determined by:
- Overall tree health - structural defects, remaining canopy, vigor, presence of fungi, pests, and the tree’s invasive status.
- Invasive or harmful species
- Encroaching on infrastructure or pathways - pathways, signage, lighting and other assets and infrastructure. Trimming for clearance is kept to a minimum to reduce impact to the tree and environment.
WHAT DOES THE CITY DO WITH THE TREES AND LIMBS THAT MUST BE REMOVED?
If the tree or limbs are small enough to be easily chipped, crews will chip them and allow the mulch to decompose which provides nutrients to support the growth of future trees and plants. Trees and limbs that are contaminated by pests, diseases, are invasive or otherwise unsuitable to chip will be hauled off and disposed of responsibly.
WILL TREES BE REPLANTED TO REPLACE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED?
To ensure the City of San Antonio is continuously improving and adding to our urban tree canopy, we plant and adopt out approximately 12,000 trees per year.
WHO DO I CONTACT TO REPORT A DEAD, DYING OR UNSAFE TREE?
To report a dead, dying, damaged, diseased or unsafe tree call 311, or visit: 311.sanantonio.gov. A service request will be generated, and the Urban Forestry team will investigate the tree.