Tree Service in Altoona, IA

Tree Service in Altoona starts with the town's name. Surveyor Julian B. Bausman chose it from the Latin altus, meaning high, because the site was the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines and Keokuk. That elevation, about 958 feet, puts the city's trees in a spot where storms tend to hit with nothing in the way. Pruning for wind is a big part of what we do here.

Altoona was platted in 1868 and incorporated in 1876. It had 19,565 residents in the 2020 Census and has grown from about 9.35 square miles of land in 2010 to 11.68 in 2020. The result is an older core with mature trees near the original town, plus newer subdivisions on former farm ground.

Who we work with in Altoona

Altoona residents tend to stay. Census figures show 90.3% of residents were in the same house a year earlier, and 17.1% are 65 or older. Many of our calls come from long-time owners who have watched a tree grow from a sapling and now need it pruned off the roof, or who simply no longer want to deal with ladders and chainsaws. We handle the climbing and the cleanup.

Wind-aware pruning

When a tree stands in an exposed spot, the aim is to let wind pass through it, not to make it smaller for the sake of it. That means:

• Removing dead and crossing branches that create weak points
• Thinning selectively so the crown is less of a sail, without stripping the interior
• Shortening long, heavy limbs that reach over the house
• Avoiding topping, which leads to weak regrowth that breaks again

Rain and soil

In the June 30, 2018 storms, Altoona picked up 6.5 inches of rain after 8 p.m. Heavy rain saturates clay soils, and waterlogged roots lose their grip. If a large tree near your house has started to lean after a wet spell, or the soil on one side has lifted, call before the next storm.

Close to Prairie Meadows and Adventureland

The city's big attractions, the Adventureland amusement park and Prairie Meadows racetrack, sit on open ground near the interstate. Homes nearby and across the east metro face the same open-country wind. Parks like Haines Park, on land donated by the city's second mayor, show what well-kept mature trees can look like here.

Silver maples and other fast growers

Many older Altoona yards were planted with fast-growing species such as silver maple, which grow big quickly and develop brittle wood and heavy limbs as they age. They are often the first trees to drop branches in a storm. Regular deadwood removal and modest end-weight reduction keep them safer, and when decay gets into the main trunk, a planned removal beats an emergency one.

Next step

All estimates are free. We walk the yard, discuss options, and give you a written price before any work starts. Call (515) 762-6977. Get a free estimate