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Tree Service in Pelham, NH
Pelham's Wetland Conservation District takes in every wetland of 2,000 square feet or more plus the land within 50 feet of it, and inside that line the town prohibits removing trees or natural vegetation (Pelham wetlands page). Call (978) 698-4783 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Insurance checked first
- Town roads and state roads in Pelham
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Tree work in Pelham
Tree jobs on Pelham's wooded, well-water lots
Tree Removal
Dead, dying, leaning or simply unwanted trees, including the tight ones that have to come down in sections over a roof.
Pruning & Trimming
Deadwood out, limbs lifted off the roof and the service wire, and crowns thinned so the tree stands up to wind and snow.
Stump Grinding
Grinding the stump below grade so the spot can be seeded, planted or paved, with the chips hauled off or left as mulch.
Storm Damage & Emergency Work
Trees and big limbs on the house, the car or the driveway after wind, ice or a nor'easter, once the utility has made any wires safe.
Not sure what the job involves?
(978) 698-4783About 95% of Pelham residents are on private wells, with no public sewer (Water Commission), so mention where the well and septic sit when you describe the tree.
Rules and permits
Who decides about trees in Pelham
We found no tree warden or public shade tree page on Pelham's town site (site map). What shapes most tree jobs here is the Wetland Conservation District, watched by the Conservation Commission and the Planning Department, along with the Highway Department on town roads and NHDOT on the state roads that cross Pelham.
- Wetland district
- No removal of trees or natural vegetation within 50 ft of a wetland, stream or pond
- Town roads
- Highway Department, 603-635-8526; state roads go to NHDOT District 5
- Burn permits
- Free, in person at Pelham Fire; expire at the end of December
- Transfer Station brush
- 5 in. or less, last full week of the month; no stumps
- Electric
- Liberty lists Pelham among the towns it serves
The 50-foot wetland line. Under Article VII of the zoning ordinance, the Wetland Conservation District covers wetlands of 2,000 square feet or more, and wetlands of any size that touch surface water, together with all land within 50 feet of a wetland, perennial stream or surface water body (Zoning Ordinance, revised March 2026). Inside it, the Conservation Commission lists as prohibited: removing trees or natural vegetation, dumping leaves, branches or other waste, disturbing soil, mowing, and using fertilizers or pesticides. The town asks owners to check with the Planning Department before cutting vegetation, notes that district lines appear on plot plans and may be marked by small green signs, and warns that violations "can result in fines, restoration costs, and legal and engineering expenses" (Wetlands, Conservation Commission). The town's 2026 wetlands FAQ calls the strip a "no cut, no disturb" zone and says only a wetland scientist can determine where a wetland's edge actually is. Pelham has 916 acres in 15 designated prime wetlands, and four of them carry older 100-foot NHDES buffers on top of the 50-foot district (Wetlands FAQs 2026). Since dumping branches in the district is on the prohibited list too, the brush from any job near it has to leave the lot or be piled well outside the line.
Town roads, state roads. The Highway Department is at 33 Newcomb Field Parkway, 603-635-8526, weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and takes town-road problems by phone or the service request form; its page says nothing about trimming or removing roadside trees (Highway Department). A tree or wire down is a 911 call in an emergency; otherwise the online form offers "Tree Down" and "Wires" choices (down trees and wires). Several roads through town belong to the state and are maintained by NHDOT District 5 (603-271-6862 or 603-666-3336): Sherburne Road, Route 38, Windham Road, Mammoth Road, Old Gage Hill Road, Main Street from Old Bridge Street to Route 38, and Keyes Hill Road (Highway Department).
Scenic roads. We found no list of designated scenic roads on the town site. Where a New Hampshire town does designate one, the town, the state and utilities can't cut trees 15 inches or more around at 4 feet up, or take down stone walls, for road or utility work without the planning board's written consent after a hearing; a landowner's own work on their land is generally unaffected (RSA 231:158).
Liberty lines. Liberty Utilities lists Pelham among the communities it serves (Liberty electric service area). Liberty prunes only branches affecting its wires, on a four-to-five-year cycle, keeping 15 feet above, 10 feet below and 8 feet to the side. It says "Major work, such as tree removal, must be performed by you or your contractor," and that removal near the lines requires disconnecting service. Work beyond the cycle starts with a consultation from Liberty's Forestry Department; Customer Care is 1-800-833-4200 and downed wires go to 1-855-349-9455 (Liberty vegetation maintenance). The state's 2021 community profile also lists Eversource for Pelham (NHES Pelham profile), so check the name on your bill before calling.
Machines in the ground. New Hampshire's Dig Safe law lists "tree and root removal" in its definition of excavation, and notice is due at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays, for digging within 100 feet of an underground facility (RSA 374:48 and 374:51). Dig Safe is free at 811 (Dig Safe); ask the tree company whether your job needs a ticket.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by May 2027. New England Tree Service is a referral service. We don't cut trees, issue burn permits or mark wetland lines.
Brush, burning and town forests
Where the wood goes in Pelham
Brush at the Transfer Station. The Transfer Station at 74 Newcomb Field Parkway runs on a free resident sticker and is open Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. (Transfer Station). Its rules accept brush only during the last full week of the month, Tuesday through Saturday, with nothing thicker than 5 inches and no mixed loads. Stumps and other wood aren't accepted, and neither are leaves or grass (Transfer Station rules). We found no curbside brush or storm debris pickup, so trunks, rounds and stumps from a removal are a matter for the tree company's chipper, grinder or truck.
Burning brush. Burn permits come from the Pelham Fire Department in person, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the property owner applies. They cost nothing "as long as the proper rules are followed," run for the calendar year and all expire at the end of December, with renewals after January 1; each burn day is cleared by phone and depends on the weather (Kindling Fire Permits). State rules allow only untreated wood and brush up to 5 inches in diameter, and fires over 2 feet across may burn only from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. unless it is actually raining (NH fire permits).
Town forests. Pelham's town forests total about 2,161 acres, and the 2023 Conservation Plan names hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer and gypsy moths as threats to the area's forests (2023 Conservation Plan). The Forestry Committee, at work since 1980, plans for and protects the town-owned forests, including Gumpus Pond, Merriam Farm, Pelham Veterans Memorial Park and the Town Forest, and its volunteers turn fallen trees into free firewood for families in need through the "Giving Back Project" (Forestry Committee). As of November 2026 the timber harvest page still said the Moose Pond and Calitri town forests were expected to be harvested sometime in 2025, with proceeds going back into the town forests (Timber Harvest Information).
Selling the logs. State law asks an owner to file a notice of intent to cut before a cutting operation, though personal firewood up to 30 cords and up to 15,000 board feet a year of logs for the owner's own buildings are exempt (RSA 79). If a big lot clearing will send logs to a mill, the PA-7 form is filed with the town first (NH timber tax).
Beech and ash. The 2024 New Hampshire forest health update put beech leaf disease's running total at 127 towns, nearly every town in southern New Hampshire, and emerald ash borer in five more towns that year (2024 NH forest health update). Suspected pests can be reported through NHBugs.org.
FAQ
Pelham tree questions
Can I cut a tree near the wetland behind my house?
Check first. Within 50 feet of a wetland, perennial stream or pond, Pelham's Wetland Conservation District prohibits removing trees or natural vegetation, and the town asks you to talk to the Planning Department before cutting. The line often shows on your plot plan, and small green signs may mark it on the ground.
How do I get a burn permit in Pelham?
The property owner picks one up in person at the Pelham Fire Department, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It costs nothing as long as the rules are followed, it covers the calendar year and expires at the end of December, and each burn day is arranged by phone.
Will the Transfer Station take the wood from a tree removal?
Only the brush. Branches up to 5 inches across are accepted during the last full week of the month, Tuesday through Saturday, with a resident sticker. Stumps, logs and other wood are not taken, so plan on chipping or hauling for the rest.
A tree is down across my road. Who do I call?
If it's an emergency or wires are involved, call 911. Otherwise use the town's online service request form, which has Tree Down and Wires options. On state roads such as Route 38, Sherburne Road and Mammoth Road, NHDOT District 5 does the maintenance, not the town.
What does it cost me to use New England Tree Service?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the tree company prices the work.
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