Trees may be pruned for many reasons, such as to remove branches that are dead, dying, diseased or damaged, or to thin the canopy to increase air and light penetration to inside of the canopy or the landscape below. Branches may be removed to achieve a minimum clearance height of 16 feet at the curb and 8 feet above sidewalks, although the crowns of trees are often brought to same height over both curb and sidewalk for aesthetic purposes. A crown ratio of 50 – 60% is standard post-pruning. Clearance above the road allows vehicles to pass without contacting tree branches, which may cause damage. Vehicles prone to damage from low hanging limbs include school buses, garbage trucks, snowplows, emergency vehicles, street sweepers and other tall vehicles that may be driving or operating close to the curb. Pruning is important to ensure trees are safe and healthy and pose the least risk to people and targets that exist in the surrounding area.
As part of the Village’s Urban Forestry Program, the Village prunes street trees within the right-of-way adjacent to businesses, rental properties, homes and on other public property between November and March each year. The Village is divided into 5 tree pruning zones and only one of the five zones is trimmed each year. For a map of tree zones click here. Young trees receiving training cuts may be trimmed more frequently. Pruning is performed by Village staff and managed by the Village Forester following ANSI Standard Practices for Tree Care Operations-Pruning (ANSI A 300 (Part I) Current Edition) as identified by the Village’s Tree Ordinance and Arboricultural Specifications Manual. Scheduled tree pruning is planned for Zone 5 for the Winter of 2024/2025.
There are approximately 5,048 trees in Bellevue’s public tree inventory. The trees are comprised of 24 families, 54 genera and 119 species that range in age, size and condition. The Village has been awarded Tree City USA from the Arbor Day Foundation on an annual basis since 2003. Any questions can be directed to the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department at (920) 468-5225.