A hazardous tree is one that is likely to fail and has something to land on. In Tioga County that often means ash killed by emerald ash borer, beech or oak weakened by pests, or a tree whose roots were loosened when the Susquehanna rose through Owego and Barton. Many of these trees still look upright from the road, which is why they get overlooked until a windstorm.
Tubbs Tree Service is based in Spencer, so we see the same problems on our own drives. Jason Tubbs uses a $50 on-site consultation to judge how the tree is likely to fail and what it would hit, then lays out options from removal to reduction. Consultations are scheduled weekly, and the most severe cases move to the front.
Warning signs worth a closer look
- Bark falling off in sheets, or ash with woodpecker damage and thin crowns.
- New cracks, splits or a seam where two trunks meet.
- Soil heaving or cracking on the side away from a lean.
- Mushrooms or soft, punky wood at the base.
- Exposed or broken roots along a creek bank or ditch.
- Large dead limbs hanging in the crown after a storm.
Pests that have weakened trees in this county
Emerald ash borer was confirmed in Tioga County by 2013 and was found near Waverly on Route 17. Ash it has killed turns dry and brittle, and climbing it gets more dangerous every season. Beech leaf disease was newly detected here in 2022, and spongy moth caused moderate defoliation in parts of the county in 2020. Tubbs does not spray or inject. What we do is remove or reduce the trees that have become a risk, and talk through which ones are still worth keeping.
Trees on riverbanks and floodplains
Tropical Storm Lee pushed the Susquehanna at Owego to a record 39.62 feet in 2011. Floods like that saturate soil for days and can scour away the bank that holds a tree up. In Nichols, Barton and along creeks in Candor, we often find big trees with half their root plate exposed. Removing them may call for a crane or careful rigging so the work does not tear up a soft bank further.
Consultation or emergency: choosing the right path
If the tree is standing but worrying you, the $50 consultation is the right start. If it is actively splitting, hung up in another tree, or threatening a house now, use our Emergency Assessment ($300, on site the next business day) or Emergency Response ($5,000 minimum, crew and equipment dispatched immediately). Both fees are credited toward the work. Details are on our emergency tree service page.
Hazardous Tree Removal Questions From Tioga County
The ash trees along our road near Waverly are dead. How dangerous are they?
Dead ash tends to drop limbs first and can snap or uproot with little warning as it dries out. If those trees can reach your house, driveway, or a road, they deserve attention soon. If they are on the road right-of-way, check with the town or village. Jason can tell you which ones are on your side and how urgent each one is.
Our creek bank in Nichols washed out under a big maple. Will it fall?
Not necessarily, but losing soil on one side changes how a tree is anchored. Jason will look at how much root is exposed, the lean, and what lies in the path. Sometimes a crown reduction is enough. Other times removal is the safer choice, done in sections so the bank is not disturbed more than needed.
Can you take down a dangerous tree without it landing on my roof?
Yes. Trees near homes are removed in controlled sections, lowered with ropes and rigging or lifted clear with a crane. Dead wood behaves less predictably than live wood, so the plan accounts for that with extra rigging points or a crane pick where needed. Tubbs is fully insured.
Want the full picture? Read our hazardous tree removal guide, or see everything we do in Tioga County.