Ash tree removal in Sioux Falls, before the tree gets brittle
A living ash is a routine removal. A dead one is brittle, unpredictable and more expensive to take down. The City says so, and so does every climber who has had a dead ash limb snap under a rope.
Emerald ash borer was confirmed in South Dakota in May 2018, in northern Sioux Falls, by a tree crew pruning green ash near a house. SDSU Extension now says infested ash are found throughout the city limits. The City's own guidance is blunt: an untreated ash will likely die within the next ten years, infested trees typically die after about five years of attack, and removing a living ash costs much less than removing a dead, brittle one. In 2024 the City put a typical removal by a licensed arborist at around $800 to $1,000 and said costs rise as the beetle weakens the wood. That is why most of our ash calls are about timing.
The signs show up from the top down. First the crown thins and the leaves come out small and pale. The next year there's dieback and sprouting from the trunk. By years four and five woodpeckers are stripping the bark looking for larvae, and the trunk turns blond in patches. The City says D-shaped exit holes at eye level mean the top of the tree is probably dead. Once a tree is there, it is too late to treat. SDSU Extension's 2026 guidance puts the cut-off at about 40 percent canopy loss. The tree needs to come down, and sooner is cheaper and safer.
We do ash work by the rules. The City says not to prune or remove ash from Memorial Day to Labor Day, when adult beetles are flying, and moving ash wood is prohibited in that window. From Labor Day to the next Memorial Day the work is fine, and late fall through early spring is the busiest season. All of Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties are inside South Dakota's EAB quarantine, so ash logs, chips and brush can move within the quarantine counties but not out of them without a state permit. Ours go to the landfill's wood pile in Hartford or get chipped on site. If the tree is on the boulevard, read boulevard trees first. The City removes parking-strip ash for free under its response plan.
What's included
Treat-or-remove call
We measure the trunk and estimate canopy loss, and tell you plainly whether the tree is a treatment candidate or needs to come down.
Timed to the beetle season
Ash work scheduled between Labor Day and Memorial Day, the window the City says is acceptable. Emergencies excepted.
Rigged for brittle wood
Dead and declining ash taken down from a bucket or with a crane instead of climbing on dead limbs, roped in sections over the house.
Wood stays in the quarantine
Logs, chips and brush hauled to the Sioux Falls landfill or chipped on site, never trucked out of the quarantine counties.
Stump ground below grade
Ground out, chips hauled or left, and the hole ready for grass or a replacement tree.
City letters handled
If the Forestry survey sent you a removal letter, we schedule the work inside the deadline and document it.
Ash tree removal cost in Sioux Falls, SD
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small ash, under 12 in across | $400 – $800 | Open yard, normal access |
| Typical yard ash, 12–24 in across | $800 – $1,600 | The City's 2024 figure: about $800–$1,000 |
| Large ash over 24 in, or over the house | $1,500 – $3,500 | Rigged down in sections |
| Dead or brittle ash | + 20% – 50% | Bucket truck or crane instead of climbing |
| Crane for an ash over a roof | $2,500 – $6,000 | See crane removal |
| Stump grinding | $150 – $400 | Below grade, chips hauled or left |
| Haul-off and chipping | Included | Wood kept inside the quarantine counties |
These are 2026 Sioux Falls ranges to help you budget. Your written price is itemized (climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about ash tree removal
How do I know if my ash has the beetle?
In Sioux Falls, the City says to assume it does. Inside the city EAB is assumed present, and you don't need an inspection to confirm it. The visible signs are a thinning crown, sprouts on the trunk, woodpecker damage and D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch across.
Can you cut it down in July?
Not unless it has already failed or is about to. The City says not to prune or remove ash between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and moving ash wood is prohibited in that window. We book ash removals for fall, winter and spring.
Why does a dead ash cost more?
Dead ash wood gets brittle. Limbs snap instead of bending, so a climber can't tie into them safely. We take dead ash down from a bucket truck or with a crane, which costs more than a routine climb. The City says the same thing: removal costs rise as the beetle weakens the wood.
Can I keep the wood for my fireplace?
You can use it at home inside the quarantine counties, and all of Minnehaha and Lincoln are inside. You can't take it out of the quarantine without a state permit, and all hardwood firewood is regulated. Don't take it to the lake or a state park.
Will the City remove my ash?
If it's a street tree in the parking strip, the City removes it and grinds the stump for free under its 10-year EAB plan, unless you're treating it. Trees on your own property are yours to remove.
Can I plant another ash?
No. Sioux Falls has banned planting ash since September 2018. We can recommend and plant a replacement.