Tree Removal in Aliso Viejo, CA

Tree removal in Aliso Viejo usually involves trees that are now about as old as the city's first neighborhoods. The Mission Viejo Company bought the land in 1976, the county approved the plan in 1979, and the first homes went on sale in March 1982. Landscape trees from those years are now 40 feet tall or more in many yards, and trimming keeps them in proportion to the homes, while removal takes out the ones that no longer fit.

Yards that border wildland

The master plan set aside 2,600 acres for the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, plus 800 more acres for parks, schools and community facilities. That means many homes back onto open slopes. Trees along that edge need attention for two reasons: dead material can carry fire toward the house, and limbs that reach into open space can be harder to reach later. CAL FIRE's defensible space guidance calls for limbing trees up at least 6 feet and keeping branches at least 10 feet from chimneys.

Common trimming work here

• Lifting low limbs over walks, driveways and side yards
• Keeping branches off tile roofs and out of gutters
• Thinning dense ornamental trees so wind passes through
• Removing deadwood on the open-space side of the yard
• Shaping young trees planted in newer phases

We make clean cuts at branch collars and avoid topping. A topped tree regrows quickly with weak, crowded shoots.

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Association rules

The Aliso Viejo Community Association was created to manage parks and community open space, and it was the first community-wide association of its kind in California. Many neighborhoods also have their own sub-associations with landscape rules. Trees in common areas are the association's responsibility. For trees on your lot, check the rules before removal or replacement, and we will provide a written scope you can submit.

Stumps and replanting

When a tree in a planned neighborhood comes out, the association often expects a replacement from an approved list. We grind the stump below grade, deeper if a new tree is going in the same spot, and can backfill with the grindings or haul them away. Replanting a little to one side of the old stump gives the new tree's roots clean soil to grow into. If your association has a species list, share it, and we will point out which choices fit the space and the sun.

Slopes and creeks

Aliso Viejo sits on the east slope of the San Joaquin Hills at about 410 feet. Aliso Creek forms part of its southern boundary and Wood Canyon Creek part of its western boundary. Trees on slopes and near creeks can have uneven root systems, so we check stability before heavy pruning or removal. Call (949) 740-0499 to set up a visit.