Removing a tree in The Woodlands starts with the Township, not the chainsaw. Sticks Tree Service removes dead, storm-broken and hazard trees on lots in all eight villages, and Trey Lamar’s crew plans each job around the covenant rules and the thick pine canopy the community is known for. Call 281-373-1472 from the Cypress office to set up a look.
Do you offer Tree Removal in The Woodlands, TX?
Yes. The crew works in Alden Bridge, Cochran’s Crossing, College Park, Creekside Park, Grogan’s Mill, Indian Springs, Panther Creek and Sterling Ridge. Most of The Woodlands is in Montgomery County, with Creekside Park reaching into Harris County. Wherever the lot is, ask the Township before a living tree is taken down.
What the Township says about removing trees
The Woodlands Township’s covenant guide states that native vegetation is the single most important landscape element in the community and that its Standards “regulate allowances for tree removals and require replanting.” If a replant requirement is appealed, the Township asks for a written statement from a qualified arborist or a person with a forestry degree.
A 6-inch trunk diameter is often quoted as the size at which a living tree needs prior approval. That figure was not found on the Township’s own published pages during research for this page, so treat it as unconfirmed and ask the Township directly at 281-210-3800. Rules can also differ by village. Sticks Tree Service can give you the tree’s species, size and condition for your application.
Why removals here look different
The canopy is loblolly and slash pine with red and water oaks, over a middle layer of magnolia, dogwood and crepe myrtle and an understory of wax myrtle and yaupon, as Community Impact described it. Over 35 percent of the community is preserved open space or forest. On a typical lot, that means the tree coming out is surrounded by trees that are staying, and the understory the covenants protect sits right where wood would land.
Storms have thinned that canopy. Community Impact reported that Hurricane Beryl on July 8, 2024 destroyed about 860 of the 7,098 Township-managed trees removed that year, with drought, beetles and aging roots also behind the losses. Canopy had already dropped from about 20,900 acres in 2004 to about 18,500 after the 2010 to 2011 drought.
Step by step on a wooded Woodlands lot
- Approval check. Confirm with the Township or village whether approval or replanting applies.
- Site look. Mark the trees that stay and the understory to protect, plus the house, fence and lines.
- Rigging plan. In dense pine, most removals are climbed and lowered in sections because there is no open drop zone.
- Removal. Pieces come down on rope between the standing trees.
- Debris. The Township tells homeowners that trees on private property are theirs to remove; the quote spells out what the crew takes and what stays.
What goes into the quote?
- Tree height and trunk size, and how close other trees stand.
- Time for climbing and rope work instead of felling.
- Any Township paperwork details you want supplied.
- Haul-off versus leaving wood, since curbside pickup takes only small branches.
- A stump grind, if wanted; see stump grinding in The Woodlands.
Around The Woodlands
- George Mitchell Nature Preserve, a forest preserve inside The Woodlands.
- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, the outdoor amphitheater in The Woodlands.
- W. Goodrich Jones State Forest, bordering The Woodlands to the north.
Often a Township-friendly answer is a careful prune instead of a removal; read tree trimming in The Woodlands. The Sticks Tree Service home page for Cypress lists every service, and tree removal in Cypress covers the method in more depth.
Sources
- The Woodlands Township, Covenants and Standards at a glance: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Departments/Covenant-Administration/Covenants-Standards/At-a-Glance
- Community Impact, tree canopy history: https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/environment/2024/07/09/maintaining-tree-canopy-sustainability-part-of-the-woodlands-50-year-history
- Community Impact, tree loss in 2024: https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/government/2025/04/22/the-woodlands-tackles-tree-loss-due-to-invasive-species-and-climate-patterns
- Community Impact, canopy acres: https://communityimpact.com/houston/city-county/2018/11/14/the-woodlands-targets-tree-preservation-at-build-out/
- Township debris bulletin: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXWOODLANDS/bulletins/3a75b97
- Wikipedia, The Woodlands: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Woodlands,_Texas
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Township approval to remove a tree in The Woodlands?
For a living tree, plan on asking. The Township’s Standards regulate removals and require replanting. Call 281-210-3800 before booking.
Is there a 6-inch rule?
A 6-inch diameter threshold is widely repeated, but it was not found on the Township’s own site during research. Confirm the current rule with the Township.
What about a tree that fell in a storm?
Ask the Township how storm-damaged trees are handled for your village. If a tree is on the house or blocking a drive, call 281-373-1472 and keep everyone clear.
Will I have to plant a new tree?
The Township may require replanting. Appeals need a written statement from a qualified arborist or forestry graduate.
Can the crew work around the trees I am keeping?
Yes. That is the normal job here. Pieces are lowered on rope between standing trees so the keepers and the understory are not hit.
Can I leave the wood at the curb?
The Township’s bulletin limits curbside branches to about 4 inches thick and 4 feet long. Trunk wood needs hauling, which the quote can include.