Tree removal in Tuscaloosa and Northport, Alabama

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and what the tree is doing.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent tree service that works around Tuscaloosa.

3. They call you back

   They look at the tree and quote the job directly.

Who is this for?

Homeowners, landlords and small property managers in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. That covers the city of Tuscaloosa, Northport across the river, the homes tucked into the woods around Lake Tuscaloosa, and the towns along I-20/59 to the east like Cottondale, Brookwood and Vance. If a tree has to come down, a storm left a mess, a stump is in the way or a canopy has grown over the house, we connect you with a tree company that can come look at it and give you a quote.

Why are trees here so different from one side of town to the other?

Tuscaloosa sits on the fall line of the Black Warrior River, where the river leaves the Cumberland Plateau and flows onto the sandy East Gulf Coastal Plain. The city's own terrain runs from forested hills on the northeast side to a low, flat plain to the southwest. In practice, that means a crew working in the hills north of the river or out toward the lake is often dealing with slopes, rock and tight driveways, while a job in the flatter southwest part of the county is more about soft, sandy ground that ruts under a loaded truck after rain. A good tree company plans around the ground as much as the tree.

What do storms do to trees in Tuscaloosa County?

Tuscaloosa gets around 53 inches of rain a year, spring and fall severe weather, and the occasional tornado. The city knows that better than most. On April 27, 2011, an EF4 tornado with estimated winds of 190 mph crossed Tuscaloosa on an 80-mile path to the Birmingham area, and the National Weather Service measured it at 1.5 miles wide at its widest. An EF3 had hit the city twelve days earlier, and an F4 killed eleven people in the county in December 2000. Most storms are far smaller than those, and they rarely take down a healthy, well-rooted tree. They take the one that was already dead, split, hollow or leaning.

Warning signs that a tree may need to come down

• Pine needles going yellow, then red, then brown, often starting at the top of the tree
• Small popcorn-like blobs of sap or fine reddish dust on the bark of a pine
• Mushrooms, shelf fungus or soft wood at the base or along the roots
• A lean that's new or getting worse, with cracked or lifted soil on one side
• A split where two main trunks meet, or a big limb torn out in an earlier storm
• Dead branches in the top of the crown while the lower limbs still leaf out

What should I do right after a storm?

If a tree or limb is touching a power line, treat the line as energized, keep everyone back and call your electric utility. Alabama Power says no one should climb trees near power lines, and Alabama law has barred operating equipment within 10 feet of overhead lines carrying more than 750 volts since 2019. If a tree is on the house, get people out of the rooms under it, take photos before anything is moved and call your insurance company. Then call for a tree service. Alabama Power also notes that after storms, getting rid of the wood and brush is the property owner's job, even when its crews cut trees out of the lines. More on storm damage tree removal.

Are pine beetles a problem around Tuscaloosa?

They can be, especially after drought or storm damage. Alabama Extension's 2026 bark beetle publication names three culprits: the southern pine beetle, which it calls the most destructive pine beetle in the Southeast and which can kill healthy trees by attacking in large numbers; Ips engraver beetles, which go after trees that are already stressed or damaged; and the black turpentine beetle, which usually shows up after injury to the base of the tree. Its advice is to remove infested trees quickly so beetles don't move to nearby pines. A yard full of tall loblollies is common here, so one pine with fading needles is worth a look before it becomes three. More on dead and leaning trees.

Remove it or trim it?

A tree with one dead limb or a few branches over the roof can often be kept with good pruning. A pine with beetle signs, a hardwood with major root decay, or a tree leaning harder every year is a different story. If you're not sure which side of that line your tree is on, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at it before anyone starts cutting. More on tree trimming.

Do I need permission to cut a tree near Lake Tuscaloosa?

Sometimes. Lake Tuscaloosa is the city's drinking water reservoir, and the City of Tuscaloosa's Lakes Division issues and inspects permits for tree removal, dredging and structures on city property along its lakes. If your lot runs down to the water, check where your property ends and the city's begins before any trees near the shoreline come down. More on tree work around Lake Tuscaloosa.

What about the stump?

A removal quote doesn't always include the stump, so ask. Grinding takes it below the surface so you can level the spot and plant grass. Because it breaks ground, the crew should put in an Alabama 811 request ahead of time; Alabama 811 asks for two full working days of notice, not counting the day you call. More on stump grinding.

Are you a tree service?

No. Tuscaloosa Tree Removal is a referral service. We connect you with an independent tree company that works near your address, and that company quotes, does and stands behind the work. Read our tips for hiring a tree service and the Tuscaloosa tree removal guide before you hire anyone.

Areas we cover

• Tuscaloosa
• Northport
• Lake Tuscaloosa
• Cottondale, Brookwood and Vance

Planning ahead? Read our Tuscaloosa tree removal guide.