Tree and stump removal in the North Valley
North Valley lots tend to have more trees than anyone planted: elm and olive rows that spread from the fence line, salt cedar in the low spots and orchards past their prime. We take out what has to go and grind or pull the stumps.
Keep the brush out of the ditch
When a tree row runs along an MRGCD ditch, cut limbs and chips can easily end up in the water. We stack brush well back from the ditch and its easement and never block or fill it. Work in the ditch itself needs the district's approval.
Root systems in river silt
Valley silt and clay is soft compared with mesa sand or foothill rock, so a pulled stump usually comes out with a large, intact root ball. That clears the ground well, but it also leaves a bigger hole to backfill and compact.
The same soil holds water. After rain or an irrigation turn, a yard that looked firm can rut under an excavator, so we save stump pulling for dry spells and lean on grinding, which is lighter on the ground, when it's wet.
Elm rows here can run the full length of a property. Because Siberian elm re-sprouts from its roots, a row that is only cut to the ground tends to come back as a hedge of suckers.
City parcel or county parcel: who to ask about your trees
Bernalillo County has an online tool for looking up a parcel's permitting jurisdiction. Use this as a starting point, not legal advice.
| If the property is | Who sets the rules | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Albuquerque city limits | City of Albuquerque | Weed and litter notices and any city rules for your trees |
| In unincorporated Bernalillo County | Bernalillo County | County weed and grading rules; a notice names its sender |
| In the Village of Los Ranchos | The village | Village rules on large or mature trees |
| Next to an irrigation ditch | Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District | Permission for work in the ditch or easement |
North Valley trees we take out most
- Siberian elm rows along property lines
- Russian olive grown into fences and horse pens
- Salt cedar in low, wet corners
- Dead or declining fruit trees in old orchards
- Volunteer trees pressing against sheds and walls
- Old stumps from past removals that keep sending up shoots
Ask for a North Valley estimate
Tell us whether you're in the city or the county if you know. If not, we'll help you check during the walk-through.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (505) 578-0369.
Tree & stump removal questions in North Valley
Can you pull stumps near my septic tank or well?
Yes, with care. We request a New Mexico 811 locate before digging, but 811 doesn't mark private lines, so show us the tank, leach field, well and any buried irrigation. Stumps close to them are usually ground rather than pulled.
A tree row sits right on the line with my neighbor. Can you remove it?
We only remove trees you have the right to remove. Talk with your neighbor first, and if the boundary is unclear, a survey settles where the line is.
Why pull stumps in a horse pen instead of grinding them?
Grinding leaves roots and chips that settle as they rot, which can leave soft spots. If the pen is going to be regraded, pulling gives you a firmer base.
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