Trees & Utilities

We are all familiar with utility poles supporting a network of wires and cables on most streets in the city. We are also familiar with seeing these wires running through the crowns of trees that line the street. But do we know which wires are the power lines, phone lines, or cable television lines? Do we know which lines are dangerous if a tree limb breaks or a tree falls bringing down the wires? Do we know which lines are required to have limbs cleared away from them? Which trees, if any, are suitable for planting under utility lines? The pages included in this section will help answer these questions.

Urban Forestry works with the utility companies to help keep overhead wires safe from tree damage while at the same time assuring that street trees are not mutilated by topping or other injury. Most utility companies have certified Arborists on staff and/or they hire professional tree trimming contractors to do the tree work. The utilities include tree trimming as part of their on-going maintenance program.

Electric service distributed through overhead wires is subject to interruption when branches touch the wires or when storms cause trees to blow into the wires. Many of these problems can be reduced through better understanding and planning. It is necessary to select compatible trees and position them so they will not grow into the utility lines.