Forestry Services

Maintaining our Urban Forest

Waterloo Leisure Services’ forestry crew performs a number of arboricultural services on City owned property in Waterloo. These services include tree planting, tree trimming, tree removals, stump removals, storm damage cleanup, tree condition analysis/diagnosis, etc…. Our goal is to create and maintain a healthy urban forest resource that provides a safe and aesthetically pleasing environment for Waterloo’s citizens and visitors.

The forestry crew’s services are provided to approximately 17,000 trees along Waterloo’s street right-of-ways, and all the trees in Waterloo’s three municipal golf courses (Gates, Irv Warren, & South Hills) and 52 city parks.

Homeowner Responsibility

Waterloo Code of Ordinances (Sec. 7-5-4 A&B) states that it is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner to keep all trees and shrubs trimmed so that in no case shall the branches be less than eight (8) feet above the sidewalk or the traveled portion of the roadway or alley. The adjacent property owner must also trim alley vegetation back from encroaching into the traveled portion of the alley.

Homeowners intending to hire a professional arborist to perform forestry services as discussed above or on their private property should review Choosing a Tree Care Service and choose an arborist from Waterloo’s Licensed Tree Services.

Tree Removals

According to Waterloo Leisure Services Tree Removal Policy, there are only 4 reasons why the Waterloo forestry crew would remove a tree from City of Waterloo owned property.

Reasons to Remove Tree
  1. The tree is dead.
  2. The tree is structurally unsound and at high risk of failure.
  3. The tree is diseased. (This only includes diseases that could be detrimental to the rest of Waterloo’s urban forest. An example would be Dutch Elm Disease.)
  4. It is in the best interest of the City of Waterloo.

As the City of Waterloo evaluates trees (trees in the systematic tree maintenance program, trees that were damaged in storms, and trees at the request of the public) many are scheduled for removal by the Waterloo forestry crew. This is normally the last option for tree related issues, but many times a necessity for the safety of the Waterloo residents and visitors.

Residents are encouraged to contact the Waterloo Leisure Services office (Contact Us) to report dead or dying trees, trees blown over in storms, or trees that are structurally unsound. Do not assume the forestry crew will immediately be aware of the problems such trees may posses.

Residents are asked to supply the following information when requesting a tree to be removed:

  1. Exact location of tree(s). Please give address and description of tree location at the address.
  2. What is wrong with the tree? (Is it structurally unsound? Is it dead? Is it diseased?)
  3. Your name, address, and phone number.

Tree Trimming

The Waterloo forestry employees are trained to trim trees on public property safely and properly.

Typical tree trimming involves:
  • Trimming limbs that are dead
  • Trimming limbs that are low hanging
  • Trimming limbs that are diseased
  • Trimming limbs that are rubbing
  • Trimming limbs that are structurally unsound
  • Trimming limbs that are touching a house or building
  • Trimming for vehicular clearances and pedestrian clearances
  • Trimming for sign obstructions
  • Trimming for visual clearances at intersections
  • Trimming or training young trees to develop good branch structure as the tree matures

For those interested in proper tree trimming techniques please refer to the International Society of Arboriculture’s ‘Trees are Good’ website.

The City of Waterloo schedules tree trimming operations by the following methods:

Systematic tree trimming

This scheduled tree maintenance program utilizes personnel in the most efficient manner. It also reduces the number of calls for public request trimming and storm damage trimming.

The City of Waterloo is divided into 10 different zones. ZONE MAP Each year the forestry crew trims every tree in one of those zones. This 10-year trimming cycle is nowhere near the textbook 4-5 year trimming cycle, but it is a step in the right direction considering the resources available. After this program was started in Waterloo in 1999, the number of trees trimmed per year increased by the hundreds, proving the efficiencies of this type of trimming.

Public request

Residents can contact the Leisure Services office (319-291-4370) Mon.-Fri. from 7am – 4pm to request a tree located on city property to be trimmed. This request is evaluated by the City Forester and prioritized into the work schedule with the most hazardous done first.

Residents are asked to supply the following information when requesting trees to be trimmed:

  1. Exact location of tree(s). Please give address and description of tree location at that address.
  2. Why does the tree need trimming? (dead limbs, low limbs, limbs rubbing house, etc.)
  3. Your name, address, and phone number.
Storm Damage

Residents can contact the Leisure Services office (319-291-4370) Mon-Fri from 7am-4pm or the Waterloo Police Department Dispatch after hours (319-291-2515) to request storm damage cleanup from a tree located on city property. This request is evaluated by the City Forester and prioritized into the work schedule with the most hazardous done first.

We encourage residents to contact the forestry department and inform them of storm damage to city owned trees to be assured the fastest service. Do not expect the Forestry crew to be immediately aware of storm damage to a city owned tree in front of your residence.

Residents are asked to supply the following information when requesting storm damage cleanup:

  1. Exact location of limb(s)s and/or tree(s). Please give address and description of debris and/or tree location at the address.
  2. If the storm damage is debris on the ground: How big is the limb(s)? Is it blocking the street or sidewalk? Can you get out of your driveway?
  3. If the storm damage is a hanging limb: How big is the limb? Is it blocking the street or sidewalk? Can you get out of your driveway?
  4. If the storm damage is a structurally unsound tree: What is wrong with the tree? (Did it get hit by lightning? Is it leaning? Did it fall on your house? Is it
    blocking your driveway, street, or sidewalk?)
  5. Your name, address, and phone number.

Utility Trimming

There are a number of utilities (telephone, cable, and electric) in Waterloo that require specified clearances of vegetation from their utility lines.

The City of Waterloo is serviced by MidAmerican Energy for its electrical needs. Since tree branches can cause interruptions in electrical services by contacting power lines, MidAmerican Energy maintains adequate clearance by having these trees trimmed. MidAmerican Energy provides Waterloo residents with tree services designed to alleviate electrical hazards and improve service reliability. MidAmerican Energy’s philosophy is to prune or remove trees to maintain electric safety and reliability in an environmentally responsible manner.

The City of Waterloo’s forestry crew does not trim for utility lines. If a resident feels that trimming is needed for a utility line, please contact the appropriate utility directly:

MidAmerican Energy: 1-888-427-5632
CenturyLink: 1-800-244-1111
Mediacom: 1-800-332-0245