Tree Removal in Occidental, CA

Tree Removal in Occidental is shaped by water. The town gets about 55 inches of rain in an average year, far more than Santa Rosa's 32. The wettest rain year on record brought 102.89 inches, from July 1997 to June 1998, and January 1995 alone delivered 36.62 inches. On January 5, 1966, 8.51 inches fell in a single day. Soils on these wooded ridges stay soaked for months at a time, which is exactly when tall trees with shallow root systems come down.

Built on timber

Occidental was founded in 1876 as a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad, which ran from Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry. The railway set off a timber boom, and by 1877 there were six sawmills in the area. The forests that regrew after that logging, second-growth redwood, Douglas-fir, tanoak, bay and madrone, now surround the town's homes, often at close range. The town sits at 594 feet, and many properties are on slopes above and below the road.

How wet weather causes failures

In soaked ground, roots lose their hold, and a tree with a heavy, one-sided crown can tip. Winter storms often arrive with strong south winds, adding force on the canopy just as anchorage is weakest. Heavy rain also loads crowns with water. Watch for new leans, soil cracking or lifting at the base, roots pulling up on one side, and trees that have lost neighbors to recent storms and now stand exposed. A tree that has started to move during one storm may not survive the next.

Sudden oak death in the forest

Tanoak and bay laurel are the main spreaders of sudden oak death, and both are common here. Sonoma County's infection rate roughly doubled between 2018 and 2019, and positive trees were found along the lower Russian River not far north. Dead tanoaks near homes, driveways and power lines should come down before they drop limbs or add fuel near structures.

County permits and exemptions

Occidental is unincorporated, and the county's Tree Protection Ordinance applies. Redwood, madrone, bigleaf maple, the native oaks and several other conifers are on its protected list; Douglas-fir is not. Protected species need a zoning permit at 6 inches DBH or more. Exemptions cover dead, dying or hazardous trees within a structure's defensible space and removals an insurer requires within 100 feet of an occupied home.

Camp Meeker and the ridge roads

The roads around Occidental, including those toward Camp Meeker and down to the coast, are narrow, winding and lined with tall trees. A tree that falls across one of them can cut off several homes. Owners whose trees lean toward a shared road often want them dealt with before winter, and some coordinate with neighbors to handle several at once, which can reduce setup time for everyone.

Estimates

Call (707) 385-5238 or use the form. Photos of the tree, the slope and the access road help us plan. Get a free estimate