Damaged Tree Cleanup
It’s tough to go anywhere in the metro area this week without seeing property owners and work crews cleaning up after the weekend snowstorm that damaged so many trees around Denver. The wet, heavy snow broke branches and even split trees into many neighborhoods.
If you’re working on cleaning up, here are some updated guidelines and regulations from the Denver Department of Public Works regarding tree damage cleanup.
Need help with cleanup? Want to save your beloved tree?
A licensed tree company must be hired in Aurora, Denver, Englewood, Lakewood, Littleton, and Wheat Ridge.
Broken branches:
- Property owners are responsible for the cleanup of debris from trees on private property and from trees within the public right of way adjacent to their property.
- Property owners are responsible for the pruning needs of private property trees and the pruning needs of trees within the public right-of-way adjacent to their property.
- If you have general questions about the condition of a public-right-of-way tree, please contact Denver Forestry for assistance: forestry@denvergov.org.
- For trees on private property, citizens can visit www.denvergov.org/forestry for a list of licensed and insured tree care contractors. It’s a wise practice to make sure any tree care contractor is licensed and insured.
- If emergency removal of a fallen branch is needed to clear a street, the city can assist through an established on-call contract, however, the cost of the work will be billed to the responsible property owner.
Disposal and Recycling of Tree Branches
For residents managing smaller limbs on their own, Solid Waste Management provides the following options for disposal and recycling:
Disposal
- Trash cart and Manual service customers: Tie loose branches in bundles no longer than 4 feet in length and weigh no more than 50 pounds. No branches may exceed 4 inches in diameter. A maximum of 10 branch bundles per household will be collected per the overflow collection cycle (every 3 weeks).
- Do not place branches in your city-issued black trash cart, and place at least 2 feet away from the black cart when setting bundles out for collection.
Dumpster Service Customers
- Tie loose branches in bundles no longer than 4 feet in length and in bundles weighing no more than 50 pounds. No branches may exceed 4 inches in diameter. A maximum of 5 bundles of branches can be placed in dumpsters at a time.
- Customers with more branches should hold those branches for their next LIP collection. During LIP week, residents may place up to 10 branch bundles (meeting the above standard) in the alley, at least 4 feet from their dumpster.
Recycling in Denver
There’s a new place to recycle broken branches from the storm, as well as bottles, paper, and cans. Residents wishing to recycle their branches or to remove them from their property sooner may bring their branches to the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-Off Center located at Quebec and Cherry Creek Drive South.
Hours of the new recycling drop-off center are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
