Tree Service in Denver, CO - By a Certified Arborist , Not a Salesperson

Who Provides Tree Service in Denver?

Ironwood Earthcare provides certified tree service across Denver, CO, including tree removal, trimming and pruning, stump grinding, and pest and disease treatment. Founded in 2003 and led by ISA Certified Arborist Derek Stroden, the company serves Denver neighborhoods such as Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Park Hill, and Central Park, backed by 25,000+ residential clients and a 4.8-star rating.

ISA Certified Arborist on every assessment : founder Derek Stroden holds a B.S. in Forestry from Colorado State University and is a CO Dept. of Agriculture Certified Spray Supervisor.
21+ years in business : serving the Denver metro since 2003, with 25,000+ residential and 1,000+ commercial clients.
4.8 stars across 167 Google reviews and Voted Best Tree Service in Aurora 2025.

Fully insured : general liability plus workers' compensation; work performed to ANSI A300 industry standards.
Denver ash & EAB expertise : treatment and removal guidance aligned with the city's confirmed emerald ash borer situation.
One clear offer : a free, no-obligation on-site assessment and written quote from a certified arborist.

Denver Is a Hard Place to Be a Tree

Front Range trees endure a high, dry climate, dramatic temperature swings, alkaline soils, spring snow loads on fully leafed branches, and long stretches of drought stress. A tree that looks fine in June can be structurally compromised by August - and guessing wrong is measured in property damage, liability, and lost mature canopy that takes decades to replace.

The bigger problem right now is the emerald ash borer. EAB was confirmed inside Denver in June 2025, and the city estimates roughly 330,000 ash trees stand within its limits - about one in six trees. Left untreated, an infested ash almost always dies, and dead ash wood becomes brittle and dangerous to remove. For many Denver homeowners, the most valuable thing an arborist can do this year is say honestly whether your ash is worth treating or should come down. A salesperson sees a removal; a certified arborist sees the whole picture - species, site, soil, pests, and whether the tree can be saved.

Close-up of emerald ash borer damage under the bark of a green ash tree in Denver

Complete Tree Care for Denver

Every service below starts the same way: a certified arborist evaluates your tree on-site,

then gives you a written quote with no obligation.

Every service below starts the same way: a certified arborist evaluates your tree on-site, then gives you a written quote with no obligation.

Tree Removal

Safe, controlled takedowns for dead, hazardous, or declining trees, including tight-access Denver lots and trees near homes and power lines. When removal is the right call, we say so; when it isn't, we tell you that too.

Tree Trimming & Pruning

Structural and health pruning to ANSI A300 standards that reduces storm risk and keeps mature trees strong instead of over-thinned.

Stump Grinding

Removes the trip hazard and re-sprout risk left after a removal, restoring usable yard space.

Pest & Disease Control

Diagnosis and treatment for the insects and diseases that hit Denver species hardest, from a Certified Spray Supervisor.

Lawn Fertilization & Weed Control

Turf care that complements a healthy canopy across your property.

Tree Injections

Targeted trunk-injection treatments, including EAB protection for high-value ash trees.

We also provide plant healthcare, deep-root fertilization, EAB treatment, arborist consulting,

commercial and HOA contracts — one certified team for the whole property.

We also provide plant healthcare, deep-root fertilization, EAB treatment, arborist consulting, commercial and HOA contracts — one certified team for the whole property.

We Know Denver's Trees — Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Neighborhoods

Ironwood works throughout Denver's established east and southeast neighborhoods, where the mature canopy is both most valuable and most vulnerable: Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Park Hill, Hilltop, Montclair, Lowry, and Central Park. These areas hold the old street trees, big backyard shade trees, and the highest concentration of ash — exactly where a certified diagnosis matters most.

Species

Denver's urban forest leans heavily on American elm, silver maple, honeylocust, blue spruce, cottonwood, crabapple, and green ash. Each fails differently and is treated differently: cottonwoods and silver maples shed limbs under snow load, elms carry disease risk, and green ash now sits squarely in the path of the emerald ash borer.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a metallic-green beetle whose larvae tunnel beneath the bark of ash trees, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients and killing the tree. EAB attacks ash specifically. It was confirmed inside Denver in June 2025, and because roughly one in six Denver trees is an ash, the city launched its "Be A Smart Ash" program through the Office of the City Forester, which urges residents to treat or remove their ash trees. Preventive trunk-injection treatment can protect a healthy ash.

The Ips beetle (engraver beetle) is a bark beetle that bores into stressed conifers such as spruce and pine, carving galleries under the bark that can quickly kill the tree. Ips tends to strike trees already weakened by drought — common on the dry Front Range — so keeping conifers like blue spruce watered and fertilized is a frontline defense.

Treat vs. Remove

Consideration	Treat (protect the tree)	Remove (take it down)
Best when	Ash is healthy or in early decline, good structure, valued for shade	Ash is dead, dying, or more than about half its canopy is thinned
How it works	Trunk injection / treatment on a repeating schedule	One-time removal, ideally before the wood turns brittle
Keeps mature canopy	Yes — you keep the shade and property value	No — replacement tree takes years to mature
Ongoing commitment	Requires repeat treatments to stay protected	None after removal and stump grinding
Safety over time	Low risk while treated and monitored	Dead ash becomes brittle and hazardous to remove if you wait

There's no universal right answer — it depends on your specific tree, which is what the on-site assessment is for.

Denver rules

Denver's Office of the City Forester licenses tree service contractors and requires a permit before anyone prunes or removes a street tree in the public right-of-way. The city also makes the adjacent property owner responsible for maintaining those street trees — so the tree between your sidewalk and the curb is typically yours to care for. We'll walk you through what applies to your property during the assessment.

Start With Step 1 — Get My Free Assessment

From First Call to Finished Job in Four Steps

01

Call or request your assessment

Reach us at (303) 366-3020, tell us what you're seeing, and we'll schedule an on-site visit.

02

A certified arborist inspects on-site

Derek or a certified team member evaluates the tree, site, and any pest or disease pressure — then explains what's going on.

03

You get a clear written quote

Options and pricing in plain language, with no obligation and no surprise charges. You decide.

04

We do the job right

Work to ANSI A300 standards by a fully insured crew, with your property treated like our own.

Why Denver Homeowners Call Ironwood First

A certified arborist, not a commissioned salesperson - your recommendation isn't tied to selling you a removal.
Two decades of Front Range experience - since 2003, across 25,000+ residential and 1,000+ commercial properties.
Real credentials - founder Derek Stroden holds a B.S. in Forestry from Colorado State University, is an ISA Certified Arborist, and is a CO Dept. of Agriculture Certified Spray Supervisor.
Proof you can check - 4.8 stars across 167 Google reviews, and Voted Best Tree Service in Aurora 2025.
Fully insured, standards-based work - general liability plus workers' compensation, care to ANSI A300 standards.
Honest pricing - a clear written quote up front. No surprise charges.

Commercial & HOA Tree Care in Denver

Property managers, HOAs, and commercial owners across Denver rely on Ironwood for canopy that stays safe, healthy, and liability-managed year-round. We've served 1,000+ commercial clients with removals, scheduled ANSI A300 pruning, plant healthcare and EAB programs for large ash inventories, deep-root fertilization, and consulting. You get one certified point of contact, documented recommendations, and clear written quotes - the accountability a board or facilities team needs.

Request a Commercial Assessment

Ironwood Earthcare crew performing commercial tree maintenance at a Denver property

Denver Tree Service - FAQ

Do you provide tree service throughout Denver, CO?

Yes. Ironwood Earthcare serves Denver and the surrounding metro, including Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Park Hill, Hilltop, Montclair, Lowry, and Central Park. We're based nearby in Aurora and have worked across the area since 2003.

Should I treat my ash tree or remove it?

It depends on the tree's health and structure. A healthy ash with good form is often worth protecting with treatment, while a tree that's already dead or more than about half declined is usually safer to remove. A certified arborist can tell you which category yours falls into during a free on-site assessment.

Is emerald ash borer really in Denver?

Yes. EAB was confirmed inside Denver in June 2025, and the city estimates roughly 330,000 ash trees are at risk - about one in six trees. Denver's 'Be A Smart Ash' program urges residents to treat or remove their ash trees.

How much does tree service in Denver cost?

Cost depends on the tree's size, condition, location, and the work involved, so we don't quote blind. You get a clear written quote after an on-site assessment, with no obligation and no surprise charges.

Are you licensed and insured?

Ironwood is fully insured with general liability and workers' compensation, and our work meets ANSI A300 standards. Denver's Office of the City Forester also licenses contractors and requires a permit for street-tree work in the public right-of-way.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Denver?

For a tree on your private property, generally no. For a street tree in the public right-of-way - the strip between sidewalk and curb - Denver requires a permit before pruning or removal, and the adjacent property owner is responsible for that tree's upkeep.

Who will actually look at my tree, and what's included?

An ISA Certified Arborist. Founder Derek Stroden and our certified team perform every assessment - an on-site visit, a diagnosis of your tree's condition, your realistic options, and a written quote, all with no obligation. You're getting an expert diagnosis, not a sales pitch.