Nashville’s expert arborists. Since 1998.

From Belle Meade oaks to Germantown ginkgoes, we’ve been keeping Nashville canopies standing through every storm Davidson County has thrown at us. We’re still answering the phone at 2 a.m.

Get An Estimate (615) 703-2611

Why Nashville

Tornado alley meets a century-old urban forest.

Nashville sits at the eastern edge of severe weather country. A typical year brings 4–6 wind events strong enough to fail mature canopies, and Davidson County’s tree stock skews old. The 1998 tornadoes took down thousands of trees in East Nashville and Germantown; the survivors are now 25+ years older.

We’ve walked every neighborhood inside the I-440 loop. We know which species are failing this season, which streets the bucket truck can’t fit on, and which insurance adjusters return calls.

Schedule a Nashville site walk Call (615) 703-2611

Why Nashville trees fail

The risks we’re tracking across Davidson County right now.

Storm damage is the obvious one. But the bigger losses are slow, structural, and species-specific. Here’s what we watch for on every Nashville site visit. Tap any issue for the full local rundown.

Construction root zone damage

Soil compaction from construction equipment is one of the most common and overlooked causes of tree decline in Nashville. Damage to the critical root zone often goes undetected for three to five years, long after the project is finished.

Bradford pear failure

Bradford pear trees planted across Nashville's 1990s and 2000s subdivisions are now reaching the age when their weak branch structure fails, often without warning. This page explains why they split, how to spot a tree at risk, and what to do before it comes down on your house.

Eastern tent caterpillars

Eastern tent caterpillars emerge every spring across Davidson County, building silken tents in cherry, crabapple, and apple trees. Repeated infestations weaken trees and invite secondary disease, but timely intervention protects your trees.

Emerald ash borer

The emerald ash borer has spread throughout Davidson County and Middle Tennessee, threatening ash trees with near certain mortality if left untreated. Our expert arborists help Nashville homeowners identify infestations early, protect healthy ash trees with systemic treatments, and safely remove trees that are too far gone.

Service area

Our North Nashville service area.

Served from our Dickerson Pike storefront, from East Nashville and Inglewood out to Hendersonville and Mt. Juliet.

The Certified Arborist Tree Service 3918 Dickerson Pike, Suite 106Nashville, TN 37207 (615) 703-2611 Open 24 hours

Areas we cover

Click an area to learn more about our work there.

Nashville
East Nashville
Inglewood
Germantown
Sylvan Park
The Nations
Donelson
Hermitage
Madison
Goodlettsville
Whites Creek
Joelton
Old Hickory
Hendersonville
Gallatin
Mt. Juliet

What people are saying

Rated 4.9 stars across 140+ reviews.

Real reviews from real customers, straight from our Google Business Profile. Here's what people say once the crew has packed up and the yard is clean.

★★★★★

March 11th, a brief but strong storm came through Goodlettsville and blew over two giant trees in my front yard; one which was being supported by a 3rd tree that was facing and threatening my house. It was an…

Julie Bangs●3 days ago

★★★★★

From the time I inquired w this company about removing a tree that was strongly impacted from the major strong 80 mph winds on March 3, 2023, they provided us w exceptional service in every way . They were…

Jeanne Mason●3 weeks ago

★★★★★

CATS crew was amazing across the board from Mike & Lisa & Joe to the crew that came to our house. The consultation was easy and informative and made me feel comfortable in choosing them. The price was less…

Guy Hunt●1 month ago

Read all 140+ reviews on Google

What we do

A geotagged inventory of every tree on the property: species, age, condition, and recommended work, refreshed annually.

Learn more →

Trees we know

The Nashville species list, and what we watch for.

Local soil, local weather, local pests. The trees that thrive on the Highland Rim aren’t the same as the ones that thrive on the Cumberland Plateau. The failure modes are different too.

White Oak

Belle Meade & Forest Hills heritage trees. Risk increases around year 80.

Bradford Pear

Mature Bradfords across East Nashville have weak branch unions. Pre-storm pruning is essential.

Tulip Poplar

Tennessee state tree. Fast-growing, brittle in wind. Watch for co-dominant stems.

Silver Maple

Common across Inglewood & Madison. Shallow roots, prone to summer limb drop.

Sweetgum

Loved or hated. Selective pruning and canopy thinning keeps them structurally sound.

Sugar Maple

Green Hills favorite. Surprisingly storm-sensitive once canopy is dense.

Local expertise

Why an Expert Arborist Matters in Nashville

Nashville has more tree companies per capita than almost any market we work in, and plenty of them are a truck, a chainsaw, and a Facebook page. The difference between a crew and an arborist shows up in the judgment calls: whether that lean is new or historic, whether a cavity is cosmetic or structural, whether the right answer is a few hundred dollars of pruning or a four figure removal. Guessing wrong costs you the tree, the money, or both.

Every estimate here is walked by an experienced arborist, not a salesman with a price sheet. Cuts follow ANSI A300 standards, risk assessments are TRAQ qualified and delivered in writing, and complex removals near structures get a rigging plan before any saw fires up. You see the plan and a current Certificate of Insurance before work begins.

That judgment matters more in Davidson County than most places because the canopy is old and the weather is not gentle. A century of ice storms, hard winds, and two downtown tornadoes has taught Nashville trees hard lessons, and the survivors carry old wounds that only trained eyes catch before the next front finds them.

The Canopy, Neighborhood by Neighborhood

East of the river, East Nashville and Inglewood carry the metro’s densest stock of 1990s Bradford pears and fast grown silver maples, the two species we remove most after every storm. The 1998 and 2020 tornado tracks run right through these streets, and the trees that survived are 25 years older now.

North and west, Madison and Whites Creek shift toward bigger lots and old volunteer hackberries, while Germantown and Sylvan Park pack mature street trees over narrow lots where every removal is a rigging job.

Out east, Donelson, Hermitage, and Old Hickory grow along the Cumberland and Old Hickory Lake, where saturated root plates fail in spring. Every community in our coverage list has its own page with the specific species, risks, and answers we bring to it.

Nashville-specific FAQ

Local questions, local answers.

Don't see your question? Call us. Every call is answered by a human arborist, day or night.

Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Nashville?

On private residential property inside Metro Nashville, most tree removals do not require a permit. The Tree Protection Zone overlay (covering portions of downtown, Edgehill, and parts of East Nashville) does require one. We file the permit for you when needed, and the fee is itemized on your estimate, never marked up.

How fast can you get a crew to my property?

Most Davidson County estimate visits happen within 24 hours. Emergencies inside the I-440 loop get a crew on-site in under two hours, day or night. We dispatch our own trucks from our Dickerson Pike storefront in North Nashville. No third party call center, no routing through Atlanta.

What’s the biggest tree risk in Nashville right now?

Mature Bradford pears across East Nashville and Inglewood, planted in the 1990s, are reaching the structural failure age (~25 years). We’ve removed 200+ in the past 18 months. Co-dominant tulip poplars across Inglewood and Madison are the second most common storm casualty.

What training do your arborists have?

Our arborists are experienced tree care professionals who follow ANSI A300 industry standards on every job. Every estimate visit is conducted by a trained arborist, and complex removals near structures are reviewed before any work begins. You get a written plan before any saw fires up.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. $2M general liability plus workers' comp on every crew member. We email a current Certificate of Insurance before work begins, which many HOAs and property managers require on file.

Take back your trees today

One expert arborist. Every tree on your property.

Free estimate. Twenty-four-hour response. No contracts. No commitments.

Or call (615) 703-2611, answered 24/7 by a human.