Street Tree Maintenance

Why Tree Maintenance Is Necessary

Trees naturally grow in forest environments, not urban settings. In cities and neighborhoods, trees share space with roads, sidewalks, utilities, homes, businesses, and pedestrians. Regular tree maintenance helps ensure trees remain healthy, safe, and compatible with the surrounding environment. Certified arborists monitor and care for trees as they grow and change over time, helping to reduce hazards, protect public infrastructure, and preserve the many environmental and community benefits trees provide.

How the City Manages the Urban Canopy

The City’s Landscape Maintenance Division is responsible for maintaining the city’s urban forest, leading tree preservation efforts, and participating in the site development review process to ensure compliance with the City’s tree codes.

City staff maintains:

30,000+ street trees on more than 450 miles of City-owned streets
40 miles of NCDOT roads containing approximately 2,500 trees

City trees include a variety of species and range in age from newly planted to 100+ years old.

Pruning

As trees grow, routine pruning helps maintain tree health and ensures trees can safely coexist within the urban environment. Arborists prune trees to improve structure, remove dead or hazardous limbs, and reduce conflicts with pedestrians, buildings, vehicles, sidewalks, and utilities.

Tree pruning supports public safety and the long-term health of Wilmington’s urban forest. This work helps reduce the risk of falling limbs, improves clearance around streets, sidewalks, and utilities, and promotes strong, healthy tree structure. Pruning also enhances sunlight and air circulation within the canopy, improving overall tree vitality, visibility, and long-term resilience.

Removal

Over time, trees age and may decline due to disease, storm damage, or structural instability. When the risk of failure outweighs the environmental and community benefits the tree provides, removal may be necessary to protect public safety and surrounding property.

Planting

When trees are removed, the City strives to replace them whenever feasible. Staff evaluate each location to determine the most appropriate planting approach based on available space, infrastructure, environmental conditions, and long-term tree health. In many cases, a new tree is planted in the same area or a nearby suitable location.

Crews work closely with the Wilmington Tree Commission to support tree planting activities. New street tree locations (that did not previously have trees) are decided based on:

Public requests and grant opportunities that allow new trees (conforming to grant requirements)
Staff recommendations for shade or aesthetic improvements within city parks and properties

Species are chosen based on prior experience, suggestions from area nurseries, community recommendations, staff arborist’s knowledge and resident preference (when appropriate).

At the August 4, 2026, City Council meeting, City staff presented information about a $1.5 million grant for tree inventory, maintenance planning, and future plantings. Watch the meeting below to learn more about the grant, how the landscape maintenance division maintains the urban forest, and how we inform residents about the work.

Safety and Infrastructure Considerations

Trees provide many important benefits to the community, including shade, stormwater absorption, wildlife habitat, improved air quality, and enhanced neighborhood character. However, as trees age or decline in health, the risk of limbs or entire trees falling can increase. In some cases, pruning and ongoing maintenance can reduce these risks. When a tree can no longer be safely maintained, removal may be necessary to protect people, property, and public infrastructure.

Urban trees must also coexist with streets, sidewalks, buildings, lighting, utilities, and other infrastructure. Many older trees were planted before long-term infrastructure impacts were fully considered, which can sometimes create conflicts as trees mature. Today, the City works to plant the right tree species in the right location to help minimize future conflicts with sidewalks, utilities, and overhead power lines while supporting long-term tree health and canopy growth.

What to Expect During Tree Maintenance

Temporary Lane or Sidewalk Closures

To ensure the safety of residents, motorists, and work crews, tree maintenance operations may require temporary lane closures, road closures, or sidewalk detours. City crews work to complete maintenance activities as safely and efficiently as possible while minimizing disruptions to the public.

Equipment and Crews

The City’s Landscape Maintenance Division includes multiple tree maintenance crews made up of trained arboriculture professionals. Crews use specialized equipment such as aerial lifts, wood chippers, stump grinders, loaders, trucks, and trailers to safely perform tree pruning, removals, and related maintenance activities throughout the community.

Each day, crews are assigned work orders generated through inspections and public service requests. Typical work includes tree pruning, tree removal, stump grinding, and debris management.

Debris Removal and Work Timelines

In most cases, tree debris is removed during the maintenance operation. Depending on the scope of work, weather conditions, or scheduling needs, debris removal may occasionally occur the following business day.

Maintenance requests are generally addressed in the order they are received, with priority given to hazardous or emergency situations that present an immediate safety concern. Due to the volume of requests and the complexity of some projects, it may take several weeks or months before scheduled work is completed. The City appreciates residents’ patience as crews work to respond safely and efficiently.

Common Questions

How does the City decide when to remove a tree?

Trees provide significant environmental, economic, and quality-of-life benefits to the community. However, as trees age or decline in health, they may become more susceptible to disease, structural weakness, or failure. The City Arborist and forestry staff evaluate trees based on factors such as species, overall condition, structural integrity, site conditions, and potential risk to people, property, and infrastructure.

When the risk posed by a tree outweighs the benefits it provides, removal may be necessary to protect public safety. In some cases, trees may also be removed because they are invasive species that negatively impact native ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

Can residents request tree inspections?

Yes. Residents may request an inspection of a City-owned tree by contacting the Landscape Maintenance Division by phone, email, or online service request. After a request is received, City staff will schedule a site visit to evaluate the tree and determine whether maintenance, pruning, or removal is needed. Following the inspection, staff will communicate findings and any recommended next steps with the resident.

Contact information may be found below:

Phone: 910-341-7852 | Submit an online form.

Contact

Landscape & Tree Maintenance
910.341.7852
Email

Location

1702 Burnett Boulevard
Wilmington, NC 28401
View Map

Report a Concern

Call the Landscape Maintenance Division at 910-341-7852 or submit an online form.

For tree-related emergencies requiring immediate assistance, call 911.

Urban Forestry Master Plan

The City relies on its Urban Forestry Master Plan, an integral component of Wilmington's urban forestry program, to help strategize and prioritize tree maintenance, planting, and removal.

Learn More about the Urban Forestry Master Plan

Volunteer to Help Plant Trees

Our partners at The Alliance for Cape Fear Trees are always looking for volunteers to assist with tree giveaways, plantings, and community outreach.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.

Schedule of Upcoming Work

Week of September 14
N. 16th Street from Rankin to Market streets

City crews will be pruning all the trees along this route. The trees have grown into the road and need to be pruned to prevent vehicle damage to trees and tree damage to vehicles.

Traffic: There will only be one lane of traffic on N/. 16th Street during this week. Minor delays should be expected.

Tuesday, Sept. 15
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
100 block S. 5th Ave.

City crews will remove a laurel oak with extensive decay in the canopy and visible wood decay fungi.

Traffic: The 100 block of S. 5th Avenue will be closed to southbound traffic. Alternate routes are readily available. Expect minor delays.

Week of Sept. 14
2000 block of Wolcott Ave

Two laurel oaks, both with extensive decay in the main trunk, and visible wood decay fungi, and one dogwood with more than half the crown dead, will be removed.

Traffic: The 2000 block of Wolcott will be closed to all through traffic. Residents will still be able to access the street. Minor impacts expected.

Week of Sept. 14
2000 block of Washington Street

A laurel oak will be removed due to decay throughout the crown, significant tip dieback, and mistletoe throughout the crown.

Traffic: The 2000 block of Washington Street will be closed to all through traffic. Residents will still be able to access the street. Minor impacts expected.

Week of Sept. 14
100 block of N. 13th St.

Two laurel oaks, with extensive decay in their main trunks and visible wood decay fungi, will be removed.

Traffic: The 100 block of N. 13th Street will be closed to all through traffic. Residents will still be able to access the street. Minor impacts expected.

Week of Sept. 14
1400 block of Chestnut Street

City crews will remove a laurel oak with extensive decay throughout the tree.

Traffic: The 1400 block of Chestnut St will be closed to all through traffic. Residents will still be able to access the street.

Week of Sept. 28
Northern Boulevard

City crews will prune all trees along Northern Boulevard for street and sidewalk clearance and to reduce the risk of limb failure. Some trees will also need to be removed due to severe decay.

Traffic: Work will occur one block at a time. Each block will be closed only while work is performed there. No parking will be permitted while work is performed. Minor impacts expected.

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