A lumber town on the St. Croix since 1843

Tree Service in Stillwater, MN

Old trees, old houses and steep ground above the river.

Free on-site estimates across Saint Paul and nearby towns
Each tree listed with its own price in writing
You choose what stays: chips, logs or nothing

Where Minnesota's Lumber Era Began

Tree Service in Stillwater has a certain irony to it. The city was founded on October 26, 1843, when four partners formed the Stillwater Lumber Company, and for the rest of the 1800s logs floated down the St. Croix to its sawmills. A territorial convention held here in 1848 started the push for Minnesota statehood. The town that grew out of that lumber money now has some of the oldest homes in the state, and the trees around them are often just as historic. Our job is to keep them standing safely, or take them down without damaging what is around them.

Steep streets and bluff lots

Stillwater sits on the west bank of the St. Croix River, across from Houlton, Wisconsin, and its older neighborhoods climb the hills above downtown. That terrain shapes almost every job. A tree on a hillside lot is harder to reach with equipment, harder to rig and more dangerous to fell, since wood that lands on a slope can keep moving. We plan each piece's path down and often lower everything on ropes. Trees growing out of retaining walls or close to old stone foundations need extra care so roots and walls are not pulled apart during removal.

Ash in the St. Croix Valley

Emerald ash borer was found in Stillwater in 2018. The city describes the insect as close to 100% lethal to ash and has an EAB management plan for its public and boulevard ash. Private owners can choose removal or insecticide treatment, though trees that have already declined severely may no longer be treatable. The city has partnered with a tree care company on a bulk-discount treatment program open to private trees, so if keeping a healthy ash is your goal, check that option. If your ash is already thin and shedding bark, removal is the safer route.

Snow and heat

Stillwater averages about 42 inches of snow a year and around 14 days above 90 degrees. Heavy wet snow and ice break more limbs here than summer storms do, and long dry stretches stress trees that are already declining. Pruning out weak, overextended limbs over roofs in fall is one of the most useful things you can do for an old tree.

Old trees near historic homes

In the older parts of town, we see huge silver maples, elms and oaks that may be older than anyone living on the block. Before suggesting removal, we look at whether crown reduction, deadwood removal or cabling might extend the tree's life. When removal is the right choice, we plan rigging so nothing touches a slate roof, a porch or a chimney.

Getting started

Call (651) 374-8562 or use the online form. We will look at the tree, the slope and the access, and give you a written estimate. Get a free estimate

Stillwater Facts

Lumber-era founding. Stillwater was founded on October 26, 1843 with the Stillwater Lumber Company, became a city on March 4, 1854, and hosted the 1848 territorial convention that began Minnesota's path to statehood.
EAB arrival. Emerald ash borer was discovered in Stillwater in 2018; the city has an EAB management plan for public and boulevard ash and says severely declined trees may no longer be treatable.
Treatment program. The city partnered with a tree care company on a citywide bulk-discount ash treatment program open to trees on private property.
Climate. Stillwater averages about 42 inches of snow and 24 inches of rain a year, with about 14 days above 90 degrees.

Our Services in Stillwater, MN

Stillwater Questions

Can a very old tree near my historic house be saved?

Sometimes. Crown reduction, deadwood removal and in some cases cabling can extend a mature tree's life. If the trunk or main unions have serious decay, removal is safer, and we will show you what we see.

How do you remove a tree on a steep hillside?

Usually in sections, with each piece lowered on a rope so nothing slides downhill. We plan where the wood goes and how it gets back up to the street.

Is it too late to treat my ash?

If the crown is still mostly full, treatment may still work. If it has lost a big part of its crown, the city notes it may no longer be treatable, and removal is the better choice.

When is the best time to prune large trees in Stillwater?

Late fall and winter suit most species. The leaves are off, so we can see the structure, frozen ground protects lawns and gardens on sloped lots, and oaks are safest from oak wilt. Hazard limbs get removed whenever they appear.

Do you work near old retaining walls?

Yes. Trees close to walls and foundations need careful removal and stump work, sometimes leaving part of the stump in place so the wall is not disturbed.

Free Estimates in Stillwater, MN

Free estimates from downtown Stillwater to the hilltop neighborhoods.

Call (651) 374-8562 Free Estimate