Tree Service in Clive, IA

Tree Service in Clive deals with big trees on a small map. The city covers only about 7.65 square miles of land in Polk and Dallas counties, squeezed between Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines, yet it holds about 18,600 people (2020 Census) and a long greenbelt along Walnut Creek. Many homes back onto that corridor, and the trees along it have grown tall and wide.

Clive was platted in 1882 as a coal mining town and railroad shipping point, and its restored depot dates to that year. It incorporated in 1956, and most of today's neighborhoods grew in the decades since. Census QuickFacts puts the median owner-occupied home value at $401,100, and 91.6% of residents lived in the same house a year earlier. Owners here tend to want trees kept, shaped and protected rather than removed.

The greenbelt factor

The Clive Greenbelt Trail follows the north bank of Walnut Creek for about 5.5 miles and is part of an 11.3-mile trail system that links west to Waukee and the Raccoon River Valley Trail. Floodplain trees along a creek grow fast and shallow. On June 30, 2018, Walnut Creek set a record stage in Clive and water ran over curbs on streets south of Hickman Drive. Saturated soil plus a storm gust is how creekside trees tip over.

Wind on record

An NWS employee about a mile east of Clive measured a 70 mph gust during the August 10, 2020 derecho and reported lots of small branches down. A fence blew over at 128th and Douglas on the Urbandale side. Then on July 15, 2024, an EF1 tornado started about 1.4 miles northeast of Clive and tracked nearly 7 miles.

How we approach a Clive job

Small lots mean we plan carefully: where the chipper parks, how logs come out without crossing a neighbor's lawn, and how to protect irrigation heads and landscaping. Common work here includes:

• crown thinning on large maples and oaks to let wind pass through
• end-weight reduction on long limbs over roofs and pools
• removing declining ash and storm-cracked trees in pieces
• deadwood removal over patios and play areas
• stump grinding with cleanup so the spot can be sodded

Oaks and construction

Mature oaks are some of the most valuable trees in an established Clive yard, and they are the least forgiving of root damage. A new patio, driveway widening or utility trench inside the drip line can kill an oak slowly over three to five years. If you are planning construction near a big tree, talk with us before the excavator shows up; we can suggest where to route the work and whether pruning beforehand makes sense.

Free estimates

We come out, look at each tree, and put the work and price in writing, including how debris will be handled. If you would like to phase the work over two seasons, we can write the quote that way. Call (515) 762-6977 or use the form. Get a free estimate