The Village of Westchester is a proud member of the Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA program. Each year, approximately 150 parkway trees are cut down due to damage, disease or other extraordinary circumstances. These trees will be cut down by our own Public Works Department or by our tree care contracted vendor throughout the year, but stumping occurs only during two periods.  Trees cut down between September and May are stumped in May.  Trees cut down between May and September are stumped in September. 

Click here for the Village's Tree Management Plan.

• Trees that are damaged or diseased are reported by homeowners or observed by staff and placed on a list for removal. 

• Trees on the list for removal are cut down by local public works staff or by village contracted tree care services. Contracted services may be needed due to current public works workload or due to the required equipment to safely complete the work. This process may take place over several weeks or months.

• The removal of the stump occurs when there are enough stumps to remove at one time. Our contracted tree care service possesses the proper equipment to stump a tree. Trees removed late in the summer season and ones that, due to an emergency, are removed in the fall, do not have their stump removed until the following spring. Typically the contractor will stump down 8 to 10 inches below the surface, leaving the wood chips in its place. 

• Public works crews arrive shortly after the stump is removed and replace it with dirt and grass seed.  The replacement dirt will typically be higher than the ground level to allow for the dirt to properly settle.  Time is needed for the ground to settle and for the grass to begin to grow. 

• Homeowners are responsible for watering the newly planted grass seed regularly during the first several weeks. If the grass has difficulty growing due to the time of year or other natural factors, the public works department will attempt again to re-seed the area.