Danger Tree Removal in Duncan

How do you know if your tree is dangerous?

We look for a lean that has changed, dead or missing bark, fungal growth or cavities at the base, cracked or hanging limbs, and root heave after wind or heavy rain. We check your trees against Duncan's Tree Protection Bylaw No. 3135, which specifically names Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir and big leaf maple at the 20 cm threshold.

The Bylaw No. 3135 hazard exemption

Duncan requires a permit for trees over 30 cm in trunk diameter, or 20 cm for Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir and big leaf maple. Once we confirm a hazard in writing, the City waives its $50 permit fee. A refundable replacement-tree security still applies. North Cowichan has no equivalent tree protection bylaw at all, though its Development Permit Areas 3 and 4 (Natural Environment and Hazard Lands) can still restrict removal near the Cowichan River floodplain.

What if there's nowhere for it to fall?

We section the tree down piece by piece with rigging when the drop zone is tight against your house, fence or driveway, and we call BC Hydro's locate line before we work near overhead service lines.

What else affects timing and paperwork on a hazard removal?

If your property sits near a watercourse, Duncan's Flood Plain Management Bylaw No. 3236 adds extra root protection rules on top of your standard tree permit. We check these rules for you before starting. That rule protects root systems close to the bank, and it applies even on land where no blanket bylaw covers the tree itself.

Between late March and mid-August, we check every tree for active nests before we touch it — that holds under both federal and provincial law, hazard or not.

Once the tree is on the ground, the rounds, brush and chips leave with us on the same visit, or we leave them behind as firewood or mulch if that works better for you.

We measure trunk diameter on-site rather than guessing from a photo. The permit limit is 30 cm for most species, but drops to 20 cm for Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir and big leaf maple.

Every cut we make, first notch to final section, follows WorkSafeBC standards, and where pruning is enough to resolve the hazard instead of full removal, we cut to the ANSI A300 standard. We give you a flat-rate written price before anything is booked, with the drop zone, access and any permit requirement confirmed in person, not assumed over the phone.

We walk your lot and inspect the tree up close before making any hazard call. Our ISA Certified Arborists inspect the trunk, bark and roots, then sign the written hazard confirmation before we give you a quote.

Stump work on the same visit follows the same standard as the removal: ground down 15 to 25 centimetres below grade, deeper on request, with the grindings hauled off or left as mulch, whichever you'd rather have.

We carry liability insurance on every hazard job, whether the tree is a straightforward yard removal or a multi-day sectional takedown over a structure.

How a rigging takedown works

When a hazardous tree stands close to your home, deck or power lines, a straight drop is not an option. We use controlled rigging takedowns to lower the timber safely piece by piece. Our climber ascends the tree, secures heavy block-and-tackle rigging gear near the top, and attaches friction ropes to individual limbs. As we cut each branch or trunk section, our ground crew controls the rope tension to lower the wood gently to the ground. This piece-by-piece method prevents heavy timber from swinging into structures or damaging lawn surfaces. Our ISA Certified Arborists direct every cut to maintain total control from canopy to ground.

What's included

• Hazard tree assessment

  Our ISA Certified Arborists inspect lean, decay and root condition on your lot, then confirm Bylaw No. 3135 hazard status in writing.

• Rigged and sectional removal

  We take trees down piece by piece using specialized rigging when there is no clear fall path near your home, fence or power lines.

The removal process

1. 1

   Hazard assessment — Our ISA Certified Arborists inspect the lean, decay and root condition on-site and confirm whether your tree qualifies for Bylaw No. 3135's hazard-fee waiver.

2. 2

   Written quote — a flat-rate price covering the assessment, the removal method and cleanup, with no hourly surprises.

3. 3

   Permit and locate — If you ask, we can file the Bylaw No. 3135 paperwork for you (an added fee may apply), and we call BC Hydro before cutting near any service line.

4. 4

   Removal and cleanup — we fell or section the tree down safely and clear the site of debris and wood on the same visit unless you want the wood left.

Local conditions

Under Duncan's Tree Protection Bylaw No. 3135, we measure trunk diameter to see if you need a permit. The cutoff is 20 cm for Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir and big leaf maple, and 30 cm for all other species. On Duncan's eastern side along the Cowichan River floodplain, Flood Plain Management Bylaw No. 3236 limits how we handle root systems near the riverbank.

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