Tree Removal
Dead, leaning or too-big trees brought down piece by piece and hauled away.
Mount Zion, Illinois
Tree Service in Mount Zion, IL
For tree service in Mount Zion, IL, Decatur Elite Tree Service takes down dead and leaning trees, trims the ones you want to keep, grinds out stumps and clears storm damage. Honestly, most Mount Zion calls are about one tree that got too big for a fenced yard, and we price those in writing within 48 hours.
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Tree Services We Offer in Mount Zion
Our yard is about 15 minutes up Route 121, and we were in Mount Zion more than 40 times last year, so there's no trip charge and no waiting for a slow week. Here's what keeps us busy here:
- Dead ash and storm-cracked maples taken down, see tree removal
- Limbs lifted off roofs and trimmed back from fences, see tree trimming
- Stumps ground out through side gates, see stump grinding
- Trees on houses and fences after wind or a tornado, see emergency tree service
- Big trees over two-story homes with no room to drop them, see crane tree removal
- Common areas and entrance trees for subdivisions, see commercial tree service
Check Your Subdivision Rules First
A lot of Mount Zion subdivisions have covenants that say something about trees, usually the front-yard ones and anything on a shared lot line. In our experience the HOA rarely says no. It just wants to hear about it first, and a few boards ask you to plant a new tree afterward.
So tell us your subdivision when you call. We'll flag what your board may want to see and email photos and a written scope the same day. Last spring we sent 6 of those packets for one street, and every one came back approved within a week.
Contact UsWhat Mount Zion Yards Ask of a Tree Crew
Mount Zion grew fast from the 1970s on, and today about 6,000 people live in its 2,300 or so households. Most homes sit on subdivision lots with fenced back yards. The trees went in when the houses did, so a lot of them are now 40 to 50 years old and as tall as the roof.
Fenced Back Yards and Narrow Gates
Privacy fences are everywhere here, and a lot of gates are 36 to 42 inches wide. It's like getting a couch through a narrow door: you plan the route before you lift. Our tracked stump grinder fits a 36-inch gate, brush gets carried out to the chipper at the curb, and fence panels stay up unless you ask.
Ash Trees From the Subdivision Years
Builders planted green ash all over town in the 1980s and 1990s because it grew fast and straight. Then the emerald ash borer reached Decatur in 2012. We've seen whole rows of back-yard ash die within a few summers of each other here. Dead ash snaps like dry spaghetti, so we take them down from the bucket truck instead of climbing them.
Creek Lots Along Finley and Big Creek
Homes that back onto Finley Creek or Big Creek tend to have big silver maples and cottonwoods on soft ground. Those roots don't hold well when the soil is soaked in spring. We check for heaving soil and fresh leans on creek lots, and we plan truck access so we don't rut a wet yard.
How Much Does Tree Service Cost in Mount Zion?
Most tree service in Mount Zion costs $250 to $1,200 for a trim and $400 to $1,900 for a removal in 2026. Back-yard trees behind a fence cost a bit more than front-yard trees by the street, because pieces have to be lowered and carried. Stump grinding starts at $125 for the first stump.
| Mount Zion job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Trim one mature maple off the roof | $350 to $800 |
| Dead ash, front yard, bucket truck | $700 to $1,400 |
| Silver maple behind a privacy fence | $1,200 to $2,200 |
| Three stumps ground through a side gate | $300 to $550 |
| Storm limb off a garage or fence | $250 to $900 |
Prices are typical 2026 ranges. Your written price covers the whole job, chipping and clean-up included.
Types of Tree Service We Offer in Mount Zion
Removals Over Houses and Fences
When a tree leans at the house or hangs over the neighbor's fence, a climber takes it down in sections and lowers each piece on a rope. Nothing gets dropped onto a deck, a play set or a shed.
Trimming for Roof and Gutter Clearance
Limbs that rub shingles or fill gutters come back a few feet to a healthy side branch. We take out deadwood while we're up there and keep the cuts to about a quarter of the live crown or less, so the tree stays healthy and shady.
Stump Grinding After Old Removals
Plenty of Mount Zion yards still have stumps left from those ash removals. We ground 14 of them on one cul-de-sac last fall, house after house, which kept the price down for everybody. We call JULIE first so gas and power lines get marked, then grind about 8 inches below the grass so you can seed the spot.
Storm and Tornado Cleanup
An EF2 tornado tore roofs off homes in the Mount Zion and Long Creek area and uprooted trees across front yards. When a storm like that hits, we clear trees off houses first, then driveways, then everything else. We take photos for your insurance claim as we go.
Winter Is the Easy Season Here
Winter is our favorite time to work here. With the leaves off we can see every dead branch and weak fork, and frozen lawns hold the trucks without a rut, which matters on the soft creek lots. If your job can wait, get on the December through February list and take the winter discount.
Just north of Decatur, we also handle plenty of newer subdivisions in Forsyth, where the trees are younger but the pears are starting to split.
Storm Claim? We Document It
Photos before we cut, a written description of what fell and what it hit, and an itemized invoice your insurer can read.
Contact UsWinter Trimming List
Get on our December to February list. Dormant trees, frozen ground and 10% off trims over $400.
Contact UsQuestions we hear
Tree Service FAQs for Mount Zion
Do you charge extra to come to Mount Zion?
Nope. Our yard is about eight miles away on Route 121, and Mount Zion pays exactly what Decatur pays. We come look for free, and the number we write down within 48 hours already has the drive, the chipping and the raking baked in. Nothing gets added at the end.
Can your stump grinder fit through my gate?
Most likely. Our tracked grinder fits through a 36-inch opening, which covers nearly every gate in Mount Zion subdivisions. If your gate is narrower, we can take off one fence panel and put it back, but we'll ask before we touch anything.
Does my HOA have to approve a tree removal?
It depends on the subdivision. Some Mount Zion covenants cover front-yard trees or ask for a replacement tree after a removal, and others say nothing about trees. Check your covenants before the work date. We can send your board photos and a written scope.
Should I treat my ash tree or take it down?
Honestly, look up first. If half the crown or more is bare twigs, it's past saving and should come down before it gets brittle. Treatment can keep a healthy ash alive, but it's a shot every year or two forever. We've walked under hundreds of Mount Zion ash, and most are too far gone.
How soon can you come after a storm?
Storm calls get answered around the clock. A tree on a roof, a car or across the driveway usually gets a crew that same day, and Mount Zion is close enough that we're often first on the list once the roads clear. Limbs just lying in the grass wait until the urgent ones are done.
Our Other Tree Services
Tree Trimming
Deadwood out, limbs off the roof, crowns thinned for the next storm.
Stump Grinding
Stumps chewed out below the grass line, ready for seed.
Emergency Tree Service
Storm calls 24/7: trees lifted off roofs, cars and driveways.
Crane Tree Removal
Giant trees over houses lifted out one piece at a time.
Land Clearing
Brushy lots, fence lines and building sites cleared and hauled.
Commercial Tree Service
Trims, removals and storm work for businesses, HOAs and landlords.
Free walk-around
Got a Tree That's Bothering You?
Leave your name, number and a line about the tree. We call back to set up a walk-around, and the written price follows within 48 hours.
- Written price within 48 hours
- 24/7 storm and emergency calls
- Clean-up included in every price