Ohio's "Tree City" since 1956

Tree Service in Kent, OH

Yard tree pruning and removal in a city that manages its own street trees and brush rules closely.

No-cost estimates at your property in Akron and nearby towns
Quotes in writing, broken out per tree
We settle what leaves the property before we start

Tree Work in the Tree City

Tree Service in Kent happens in a town with tree care in its identity. Kent was officially named the "Tree City" of Ohio in 1956, a nickname tied to John Davey, who published The Tree Doctor in 1901 and founded the Davey Tree Expert Company here in 1909. The city has held the national Tree City USA designation for 38 straight years, and its crews maintain roughly 3,000 street trees growing between the sidewalk and the street. Those trees are the city's. Ours is the work on the rest: the yard trees behind and beside Kent's houses.

Rentals, students and older houses

Kent is unusual for Summit and Portage counties because most housing isn't owner-occupied. Census figures put the owner-occupied rate at 40.8%, which reflects Kent State University's campus of more than 26,000 students. For landlords, that changes the questions. A dead limb over a rental's driveway is a liability problem, and an overgrown tree over the roof of a student house tends to be noticed only when it starts clogging gutters or scraping shingles. We work with owners and property managers to set up pruning so trees get checked on a schedule instead of after a complaint.

What city crews look for, and what you should too

The city's forestry staff list emerald ash borer, pine bark beetle, gypsy moth and black knot fungus on cherry as the main threats to Kent's trees in recent years. The same pests turn up in backyards. Ash in particular should be checked now; Ohio's forest health reports show EAB has been confirmed in all 88 counties since 2016, and an ash that has been dead a few years becomes brittle and dangerous to climb. Removing it sooner is usually safer and cheaper than waiting.

Brush rules matter here

Kent picks up brush twice a year with curbside chipping, one week per section of the city, with cut ends facing the street. But the city is clear that when a commercial contractor trims or removes trees, the contractor removes the brush, and it may not be placed at the curb. The Yard Waste Transfer Site at Plum Creek Park is for Kent residents with proof of residency and doesn't take logs, stumps or full trees. So when we work in Kent, chipping and hauling are always part of our price.

Terrain along the river

The Cuyahoga River cuts a gorge with a drop of nearly 40 feet next to downtown, and the city sits on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, with rolling hills. Some lots near the river and the Cooperrider-Kent Bog preserve on the south edge are steep or wet, and we plan equipment around soft ground.

Get a quote

Call (330) 325-4776 or use the form. Landlords: tell us how many properties and we'll set up a walk-through for each. Get a free estimate

Kent Rules and Facts

About 3,000 city street trees. Kent maintains roughly 3,000 street trees between the sidewalk and street, trims and removes them with city crews, and aims to plant twice as many trees as it removes each year.
Shade Tree Commission authority. Under Codified Ordinance 169.01, Kent's Shade Tree Commission has custody and control of shade trees on public streets, with power to plant, remove, maintain and protect them. Questions go to (330) 673-1688.
Contractor brush can't go to the curb. Kent's fall brush chipping runs one week per section, but brush from commercial tree trimming or removal must be handled by the contractor. The Plum Creek Park yard waste site is residents-only and does not accept logs, stumps or full trees.
Mostly renter-occupied. Census QuickFacts puts Kent's owner-occupied housing rate at 40.8% and its median owner-occupied home value at $219,900, with Kent State's main campus covering 866 acres in the city.

Our Services in Kent, OH

Kent Questions

Can I leave the branches from your job for Kent's brush chipping week?

No. Kent's rules say brush from a commercial contractor's trimming or removal must be removed by the contractor, not put at the curb. We haul everything we cut.

Who handles the tree between the sidewalk and street?

That's a city street tree. Kent's crews and Shade Tree Commission manage those trees, so contact the city about pruning or removal. We handle trees on private property.

I own a few rentals near campus. Can you inspect all of them at once?

Yes. We can walk each property, note dead limbs, clearance problems and declining trees, and give you a written estimate per address so you can plan the work by priority.

Is a dead ash tree really urgent?

Dead ash dries out and becomes brittle within a few years, which makes limbs drop without warning and makes climbing riskier. If it can hit a house, car or walkway, it's worth removing soon.

Free Estimates in Kent, OH

Free estimates for Kent homeowners and landlords.

Call (330) 325-4776 Free Estimate