Parks & Forestry Division

The City of Sheboygan Forestry Division maintains the trees located on the city right of way within the City of Sheboygan city limits. Contact the City Forester, Tim Bull at 920-459-3395 or Timothy.Bull@sheboyganwi.gov if you notice large dead limbs, limbs obstructing sidewalks, roadways, your driveway, or traffic signs. The City Forester will assess the situation, make a determination and advise the adjacent property owner of anything that can or will be done.

If you notice a tree or tree branch down blocking the street or sidewalk or hanging branch that is potentially hazardous and it's Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 4 pm call the Public Works Department at 920-459-3440. If it is outside of these days or hours please call the Police Department 920-459-3333.

A properly maintained tree can provide years of benefits; shade, aesthetic beauty, habitat, reduce stormwater runoff, carbon sequestration, etc. You can help your tree by providing adequate water during prolonged dry periods. Newly planted trees require heavy, infrequent watering - for a small tree 5 to 10 gallons of water a week is a good general guideline. 

Additionally, mulch added after planting provides nutrients to the tree and better moisture retention. Mulch should be 3-4 inches in depth, ideally, but should not be piled against the trunk. Weed whips and mowers can cause severe injury to tree trunks. Please avoid contacting the trunk with any equipment. If you feel your tree requires any maintenance contact the City Forester 920-459-3440. 

City Ordinance prohibits residents from pruning and cutting street trees. This ordinance prevents improper pruning and protects citizens from the hazards of having to do tree work themselves. However, the Forestry crew could use residents' help to maintain some street trees by sucker pruning.

Sucker pruning involves pruning off the suckers growing on the tree. Suckers are small branches or sprouts that extend from the ground around the tree's base or grow directly out of the tree's main stem. They grow back year after year and many times interfere with roads and sidewalks.

The City Forestry Department uses a blue dot to represent an ash tree that has been treated for emerald ash borer. An investment has been made to save these specific ash trees from dying. The treatment consists of injecting an insecticide into the tree through small holes drilled about an inch under the bark around the base of the tree. This treatment is repeated every 2-3 years.

All ash trees located in the city terrace will be maintained according to the City of Sheboygan’s emerald ash borer management plan. Half of the city’s ash trees have been injected with an insecticide to mitigate the effects of the emerald ash borer. The other half either have been removed or will be removed by the City Forestry Division in the next several years.

If you have a private ash tree in the City of Sheboygan it is safe to assume that it is already infected with emerald ash borer and you have two options, either get the tree treated by a certified pesticide applicator or remove the tree. It is often cheaper and safer to remove a tree before it dies. If you do not want to invest in the chemical treatment then you should remove your ash tree sooner than later. It may be in your best interest to use a contractor that is ISA Certified and to get estimates from multiple contractors.

Tree roots are often blamed for damaging and blocking sewer pipes. However, root growth into a sewer pipe only occurs when the pipe has first been damaged by other factors, such as soil compaction and aging sewer laterals. The nutrients, oxygen, and warm temperatures near cracks or grout erosion encourage rapid root growth between sewer tiles, which interferes with sewage flow. Because the roots are not at fault, the Forestry Division will not remove healthy trees that may have roots growing into defective or damaged sewer laterals. Property owners with a damaged sewer lateral are responsible for correcting the problem and should contact a plumber to evaluate repair options.

The street trees in the City of Sheboygan are an important part of the Urban Forest. The Urban Forest provides a multitude of aesthetic, economic, and environmental benefits to citizens, businesses, and visitors. The overall monetary value of the Urban Forest is over a million dollars. The City of Sheboygan values every individual tree. The Forestry Divison's mission is to protect trees. Trees are only removed when they pose a safety hazard.

When a street tree is damaging a sidewalk this also creates a safety hazard. The City has a sidewalk program where it works with the residents to inspect damaged sidewalks. View the City of Sheboygan’s Sidewalk Program for more information.

If a tree is placed on the removal list, our tree crew or a private contractor may be performing the removal. Please understand the tree may not be removed immediately. Typically, trees are removed in groups, as this is the most efficient use of personnel and equipment groupings. The entire tree will be removed and the stump will be removed at a later date. No parking signs will be posted the day before where tree removals are scheduled for the following day. Vehicles will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense for violating these parking signs. 

As with tree removal, stump grinding may be done by Public Works staff or by a private contractor. Public Works will make every effort to grind stumps in a timely manner, however, stumps are a low priority in our work schedule. The stump grinding is a process that involves contacting the utility companies to mark the underground utilities prior to work. As with tree removal, this work is done in groups, as this is the most efficient use of personnel and equipment.

No. The City does not allow individuals to cut or load.

Yes, the property owner adjacent to the tree has the option of keeping the wood. Wood from removed trees is left as is and will not be cut to firewood length. **Be sure to check state and local ordinances prior to moving firewood.**

The Forestry Division typically plans tree planting in the spring and in the fall. Trees planted in the spring are ordered in the winter and trees planted in the fall are ordered in the summer. The start and end times of planting are weather dependent and also depend on when our suppliers are able to deliver trees. If you would like a tree planted in the city terrace adjacent to your property please submit your request online using the "REQUEST A TREE" button, or contact the City Forester 920-459-3440.

No. Tree selection is done by the City Forester. There are many variables that influence what species of tree may be planted.