Tree Service in Benton, AR

Tree Service in Benton now includes a question that did not exist a dozen years ago: what to do about ash trees. Emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that kills ash trees, was first found in Arkansas in 2014 in six south Arkansas counties. By the time the Arkansas State Plant Board approved a statewide quarantine on March 27, 2018, it had been confirmed in 18 counties, Saline County among them. Benton is Saline County's seat.

How to tell if you have an ash

Ash trees have compound leaves, with several leaflets along a single stem, set directly opposite each other on the twigs. Mature bark has a tight, diamond-shaped ridge pattern. If you are not sure, we can identify it on the estimate visit.

Signs of borer damage

• Thinning in the upper crown, often the first sign
• Woodpeckers flaking off outer bark, leaving pale patches
• Small D-shaped exit holes in the bark
• Sprouts from the lower trunk as the top dies back

Once a large share of the crown is gone, ash wood becomes brittle quickly, and dead ash can be dangerous to climb. That is why timing matters.

Three choices for an ash tree

1. Protect it. Healthy, valuable ash trees can be treated with insecticides, usually by an arborist or pesticide applicator, on a recurring schedule. 2. Remove it early. A declining ash near the house is cheaper and safer to remove while its wood is still sound. 3. Replace it. Plant a different species so the yard has shade coming along.

We will give you an honest read on which makes sense for each tree.

Benton's growth

The city's population climbed from 21,906 in 2000 to 30,681 in 2010 and 35,014 in 2020. About 68% of homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home value was $212,700 in the 2020-2024 Census survey. That growth means a mix of older in-town streets with large trees and newer subdivisions where builders left a few trees standing. Benton's history goes back to salt works in 1827 and pottery made from local kaolin around 1900, and the older parts of town reflect that age.

Moving the wood

Under the state quarantine, firewood from any hardwood can move freely inside Arkansas but cannot leave the state without meeting federal rules. If you plan to haul ash wood to a camp or a relative out of state, ask first. For leaf and limb pickup inside the city, Benton offers a service through City Hall at 501-776-5900; our estimates include haul-off from our own work.

Other trees we see in Benton

Ash is only part of the picture. Older in-town lots carry big oaks, hickories and sweetgums, while subdivisions on the edges of the city often back onto mixed pine and hardwood. Common jobs include clearing limbs off roofs, removing pines that died in dry summers and grinding stumps left by earlier removals.

Book a visit

Call (501) 457-9035 to schedule a free on-site estimate for ash trees or any other tree work in Benton. Get a free estimate