Certified Arborists
Certified Arborists
Certified Arborists
Certified Arborists
Soul Tree Care provides tree removal in NH from our base in Dover, serving the NH Seacoast and Southern Maine. Our lead arborist is an ISA Certified Arborist , and you can check the credential in the ISA’s public credential directory (credential ID NE-7549A).
Not every problem tree has to be removed. These warning signs come from the tree risk checklist published by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
Large dead branches and detached, hanging branches are on the ISA checklist. Dead branches in the canopy are likely the most obvious hazard, and the risk depends on their size and how close they are to people or structures.
Cracks or splits in the trunk or where branches attach, cavities or rotten wood, and mushrooms at the base of the tree are all warning signs the ISA lists.
Cracks or separations in the soil around a tree can mean the roots are moving. The ISA calls this a warning sign,
especially if the tree is leaning.
If you notice any of these, the ISA says the tree should be examined by an ISA Certified Arborist.
According to UNH Extension, emerald ash borer was first found in New Hampshire in spring 2013, in Concord. UNH Extension reports that the insect kills infested ash trees within three to five years unless preventive steps are taken.
In Dover, the city said in August 2025 that the insect is killing downtown ash trees and that it will need to remove more than 50 trees over the next one to two years. The city lists canopy dieback, bark splitting, woodpecker damage and small D-shaped exit holes as warning signs, and says dead trees become brittle safety hazards.
The ISA says that if a tree is touching a utility line or could fall onto one, you should not try to remove it yourself and should call your local electric provider instead. Never approach a downed power line. If a tree has already come down in a storm, see our page on emergency tree removal in NH.
We serve Dover, Portsmouth, Somersworth, Durham, Exeter, Newmarket, Rollinsford and Stratham in New Hampshire, and Berwick, Eliot and York in Southern Maine.
Ready when you are
Tell us where the tree is and what is going on with it, and ask for a free quote
Certified Arborists
