Tree Removal in Binghamton, NY

Permits & rules in Binghamton

Binghamton does not require a permit to remove a tree on private property; Chapter 391 only obliges owners to remove dead, diseased or dangerous trees within 60 days of written notice from Parks or Code Enforcement and to keep branches 8 feet clear above sidewalks and streets. Removing any healthy street tree or public tree without prior approval of the Parks and Recreation Department is unlawful (Sec. 391-14), punishable by a $50-$150 fine per event, and stumps must be removed below grade (Sec. 391-13). No permit fee is listed in the code; unpaid City removal costs are added to the property tax bill.

Storm debris: DPW collects yard waste citywide every Monday from the first Monday in March through the first Monday in December: branches under 4 feet long and 4 inches thick, tied in bundles up to 50 lb, maximum 8 bundles or containers per property per week (DPW Dispatch 607-772-7020).

Trees we see most in Binghamton

• Silver maple Dominant in the Susquehanna and Chenango floodplain neighborhoods; fast-growing, weak-wooded and storm-prone
• Norway maple The common West Side and South Side street tree; invasive seedlings and girdling roots
• Sugar maple Southern Tier hillside native; suffers from salt and soil compaction along city streets
• Eastern white pine Tall yard and windbreak conifer; snaps under heavy wet snow and ice
• Eastern hemlock Lines ravines and shaded lots on the hills; being thinned by hemlock woolly adelgid
• White ash Formerly common; emerald ash borer has left many dead ash that fail unpredictably

Weather & timing

• River flooding The 2006 and 2011 (Tropical Storm Lee) Susquehanna floods saturated root zones and toppled trees on the floodplain
• Heavy wet snow The December 2020 storm dropped 40+ inches on Binghamton; snow loads snap limbs on pines, spruce and silver maples
• Ice storms Freezing rain in the Southern Tier valleys coats branches and brings down crowns
• Severe thunderstorm winds Summer storms funneling up the river valleys uproot shallow-rooted trees in wet ground

Best time: Dormant-season work from late fall to early spring (November to March) is best in Binghamton: no leaves, frozen ground limits lawn damage, and crews avoid the spring flood period and the April-July oak wilt window.