Pruning Trees

The City highly recommends that you hire a certified professional.

To ensure your tree is pruned properly, hire an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) certified arborist or qualified tree risk assessor to do the pruning for you.

When looking for an arborist, it is important to ask if the person is ISA certified, has insurance, and is familiar with the City's bylaws. Read our hiring a tree care professional bulletin to learn more.

Pruning must follow sound arboriculture practice. If you prune your trees yourself, your pruning must meet arboricultural standards. 

When pruning in the spring and summer, bird nests could be hidden among the branches. Take extra care to ensure you are not disturbing any nesting birds. Learn about proper pruning techniques.

The following is not permitted:

• removal of branches in the upper 50% of the total height of the protected tree;
• removal of more than 25% of the protected tree's total branches or limbs; and
• topping of a protected tree, other than topping carried out under an issued tree cutting permit.

Topping harms trees. Topping is not a permitted practice on protected trees within the City of Surrey.

Topping is the removal of the top of the central stem of a tree and the upper main branches. When you top a tree, you are removing a large amount of branches and leaves and are cutting the food supply from the tree. The tree goes into shock and quickly sprouts shoots to grow leaves so it won’t starve. This stress often weakens the tree, increasing the chance of insect infestation, disease infection or even death.

If you feel your tree is too large or a risk for your property, contact an arborist for alternatives to topping. Read more about the dangers of topping your trees. Other names for topping are heading, tipping, hat-racking or rounding over. 

If your tree has been previously topped and now requires subsequent topping, a permit is required. Please contact treebylaw@surrey.ca for more details about topping trees in Surrey.

Surrey residents have access to branch and woody plant material chipping and pickup services:

• Cost: $26.75 per 1.5 metres x 1.5 metres (5 feet x 5 feet) pile. The length of branches does not matter.
• Branch Diameter: less than 20 centimetres (8") in diameter.
• No stumps are permitted.

Please contact 604-591-4340 for more information.