Tree Removal in Rutherford, NJ

Tree removal in Rutherford can involve a tree that may have been growing next to the house for as long as the house has stood. Rutherford has been called the "Borough of Trees," and most of its current homes went up during a second building boom in the 1920s. A maple or oak planted back then can now be tall enough to reach over the roof, the garage and the neighbor's fence all at once.

Size is not the only issue. Rutherford sits on a ridge above the Meadowlands with 18,834 people packed into about 2.78 square miles, so driveways are narrow and backyards are close together. A big tree on a lot like that has to come down in pieces, lowered on ropes, rather than felled in one cut. We plan every job around where each section can safely land.

Is it your tree or the borough's?

Before anything is cut, the first question is who the tree belongs to. A tree in the strip between the sidewalk and the curb is often a public street tree, and the borough lists rules for those: no cutting, pruning or removing them, no attaching wires or signs, and no digging, regrading or paving within four feet of one. If your problem tree is out by the curb, call the Rutherford DPW and Shade Tree Commission at 201-460-3000, ext. 4008 first. If it is in your yard, it is generally yours to manage, but confirm any rules with the borough before removal.

After a summer storm

The storm on the night of July 3, 2026 brought down at least 14 trees and many large limbs on Rutherford's public streets, on top of damage on private lots, and some roads were closed for downed wires. When a tree or limb lands on your property, keep clear of any wire it touches and report the wire to PSE&G. Once the utility has made it safe, we can cut the tree off the roof, fence or car, and haul the wood away.

What we handle in Rutherford

• Removing large, aging trees beside 1920s houses, section by section
• Trimming limbs that hang over roofs, chimneys and the neighbor's yard
• Dead and hazardous tree removal, including storm-split trunks
• Stump grinding after the tree is gone, so the yard can be replanted
• Emergency calls after wind storms
• Crane-assisted removal when a tree cannot be lowered by rope alone

Pests worth watching

The Shade Tree Commission posts guides on spotted lanternfly and emerald ash borer, and New Jersey placed all 21 counties under spotted lanternfly quarantine in early 2023. Those guides are a good place to start if you want to learn the warning signs, and questions about identifying or treating a pest belong with the commission or another qualified source. Our part is removal: if you decide a dead or declining tree should come out, we can quote taking it down, since dry, brittle wood can be harder to rig and lower than a living tree.

Every job ends the same way: we rake up, blow off walks and driveways, and haul the wood and brush off the property. Call (201) 957-7596 to book a free on-site estimate.