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Pruning and Trimming Trees Around a Massachusetts Home
Good pruning keeps a big tree over the house instead of on it: dead wood out, limbs lifted off the roof, the crown opened so wind and wet snow pass through. Call (978) 698-4783 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Insurance checked first
- Wire and wetland rules explained
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Pruning in Massachusetts
Whose branch is it, and how close is the wire?
Branches near the service drop are yours. National Grid, the electric company in every town on this site, trims around its high-voltage lines and leaves the low-voltage wire into your house to the homeowner. Give National Grid five days or more and it will temporarily disconnect that wire for the crew's visit; the request line is 1-800-322-3223 (National Grid tree FAQ).
Close to power lines, use a trained crew. Federal safety guidance puts the line at 10 feet: closer than that, OSHA advises having the utility de-energize and ground the line (OSHA tree care). If limbs are in the high-voltage lines along the street, that is National Grid's trimming, not your tree company's.
Trees at the road need the tree warden. A public shade tree may be trimmed only by the tree warden or a deputy, or with the tree warden's written permit, even by the owner of the land it stands on (M.G.L. c.87 §3).
Near water
Pruning inside a wetland buffer
The state's wetland regulations reach 100 feet out from wetlands, banks and similar areas. Within that buffer they treat vista pruning more than 50 feet from the edge of the wetland as a minor activity, and they say pruning of landscaped areas isn't subject to their jurisdiction at all (310 CMR 10.02). Local bylaws can go further, and the towns we cover have their own: Chelmsford allows vista pruning only beyond 50 feet, and Westford lets its conservation staff approve taking down up to two dead or dying trees that are also dangerous. Your town page has the details.
When pruning isn't enough
Pests worth a closer look
Spongy moth caterpillars strip trees in spring and have caused oak decline and death across Massachusetts. For larger trees, the Department of Conservation and Recreation recommends a certified arborist who is also a licensed pesticide applicator, and notes the state doesn't fund or carry out spraying (DCR spongy moth guide). Spraying and other treatments are outside what we refer, so ask the tree company whether it holds a Massachusetts pesticide license, which you can confirm on the state's pesticide license lookup.
Ash trees deserve a careful look too: emerald ash borer has been confirmed in 280 Massachusetts communities (emerald ash borer guide). An arborist can tell you whether an ash is worth keeping.
Last verified November 2026. New England Tree Service is a referral service. We don't prune trees or apply treatments.
FAQ
Pruning questions
Will National Grid trim the branches over my wire for free?
It depends on the wire. National Grid trims around its high-voltage lines, but says branches near the low-voltage service drop that runs to your house are the homeowner's responsibility. It will disconnect that wire for your tree company with at least five days' notice at 1-800-322-3223.
Can I trim the town tree in front of my house?
Not without the tree warden's written permission. State law lets only the tree warden or a deputy cut or trim a public shade tree, even when it stands on your land, unless the tree warden issues a permit. Some towns, Lowell among them, also require a permit for any contractor working on a public tree.
My yard backs onto a wetland. Can I still prune?
Usually, with care. The state wetland rules say pruning of landscaped areas isn't subject to their jurisdiction, and vista pruning more than 50 feet from the wetland edge counts as a minor activity. Closer than that, or anything beyond pruning, check with the conservation commission first; several local bylaws here are stricter.
When is the best time to prune?
It depends on the species and the reason, which is a question for the arborist looking at the tree. Dead, broken or hanging branches can be dealt with any time of year.
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.
Town guides
Local rules for pruning and trimming by town
Each town page covers the town's tree warden and road trees, any scenic roads, the local wetland bylaw, and where brush and wood can go. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Chelmsford, Billerica, Tewksbury, Dracut and Westford). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.