Caution: Do NOT hire tree services or tree removal contractors that come to your door, call you, or contact you through the mail unsolicited, without checking their licensing with the City. They may not be legitimate.

The City of Roseville, under Ordinance 706, operates a Diseased and Hazardous Tree Program. The major aspects of this program are disease and hazardous tree management on public property, disease management on private property and to provide community outreach by responding to resident inquiries.

Public property includes city-owned parks, easements and rights-of-way, and boulevards. A boulevard is defined as "that property between the edge of the street and the property line (right-of-way line)." In other words, the boulevard is that property between the edge of the curb, next to the grass, up to the property line. On average, this distance is about 13.5 feet.

Trees within approximately the first 13.5 feet from the curb are considered boulevard trees and are the responsibility of the city.

Residents may not plant a tree or shrub on the boulevard without first obtaining a permit from the City. In addition, residents may NOT trim, remove, spray, cable, attach any contrivance or apply insectides/fungicides to any boulevard tree without first obtaining a permit from the city. Street Tree Permit form

The city will remove diseases or hazardous trees from the boulevards, or other city owned property. The stumps will be ground down to a few inches below the grass line,then black dirt and grass seed will be applied. Homeowners are asked to water the newly seeded areas.

It is the responsibility of the residents to remove trees on their own property that are diseased and/or a hazard. If a resident hires a contractor to remove a tree on private property, they must hire a tree removal contractor who has a current tree removal license from the City of Roseville. View a current list of licensed tree removal contractors.

A resident may choose to remove the tree themselves. In this case, the wood and brush may be taken to the Ramsey County Brush and Yard Waste site.

When a tree's branches cross a property line, refer to these guidelines to determine what you can cut down: Winter Tree Maintenance and Tree Ownership

The Street Maintenance crew trims boulevard trees annually, mostly during the winter months on a time available basis. Trimming is done to allow for passage of vehicles, especially snowplows and large trucks. The Street Maintenance crew will also trim broken branches and storm damaged trees as time and resources allow.

Recently Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was found within four miles of Roseville city limits. The City, with help from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Ramsey County Environmental Health, and surrounding communities is currently developing a plan to respond to this new plant health pest. The city will continue to communicate the most current information.

At this time, we do not anticipate any change in how the City handles the management of ash trees, unless MDA advises us differently.

Note: Residents may NOT treat boulevard trees without a City permit. Most treatments must be applied during a specific time frame to be effective. This is early spring through mid-June.

For further information regarding EAB:

• www.emeraldashborer.info
• www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab.htm
• www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eabhomeowners.htm
• www.extension.umn.edu
• www.emeraldashborer.wi.gov/article.jsp?tocicid=14

In 2009 the south part of the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood in Saint Paul was discovered to be infested with Emerald Ash Borer.

The City of Roseville is cooperating with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in their efforts to monitor the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).  The MDA will be placing purple panel traps on boulevard ash trees within a four mile radius of the known EAB infestation in St. Paul. The traps are used to monitor the movement of the EAB.

Traps are suspended in the tree canopy. The traps are purple, approximately three feet tall and one foot wide and covered with a sticky substance. The EAB will adhere to the trap if it is present in or near an infested ash tree.

A sign from the MDA will be posted on the tree if it is being used as a survey tree.

Contact information:  Phone number  888-545-6684 or 651-201-6684. OR www.mda.state.mn.us/invasives/eab

The City of Roseville has participated in the Tree City USA program for many years. The Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree City USA program along with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The Tree City USA program provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities across the United States.