Taking down ash trees with a crane in Sioux Falls
Emerald ash borer is killing the untreated ash in Sioux Falls. Once a big ash over a house dies and goes brittle, a crane is often the safest way to take it down.
When should an ash tree in Sioux Falls come down with a crane?
When a large ash leans over a house, garage or lines and is dead or close to it. Dead ash turns brittle and is risky to climb, so the arborist rigs each section to a crane and lifts it clear. In Sioux Falls, ash should not be removed between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so plan crane removals for fall through spring.
- Untreated ash in Sioux Falls is expected to die within about 10 years of the 2018 detection.
- The city asks owners not to prune or remove ash from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- Ash wood must stay inside the quarantine area.
- A crane for a half day runs about $820 on a 40 to 45-ton boom truck, before the tree crew.
Why ash removals are a crane job now
Emerald ash borer was confirmed in the north part of Sioux Falls in May 2018, the first find in South Dakota. The city’s guidance is blunt: an untreated ash will die within about 10 years, and once it dies it turns brittle and can fall apart. Removing a live tree also costs less than removing a dead one.
A healthy tree can usually be climbed and cut down piece by piece. A dead ash with dry, cracking limbs over a roof is a different risk. The crane holds each section on a line while it is cut, then lifts it over the house to the street, so nothing has to be dropped.
The season rule
The city asks owners not to prune or remove ash between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That is when adult beetles fly, and fresh cuts and moving wood help them spread. From Labor Day until the next Memorial Day the insect stays inside the tree, so that is the removal window. Frozen ground in winter also holds a crane’s outriggers well, which makes January and February good months for removals over lawns.
Who is responsible
Property owners maintain every tree on their lot and the parking strip next to it. In residential areas the city is removing parking-strip ash under its 10-year plan and grinding the stumps free. Ash in your back yard is yours, and the city points owners to its list of licensed arborists.
Moving the wood
There is a state quarantine on ash for Minnehaha County, northern Lincoln County and northeastern Turner County. Ash logs, brush and firewood cannot leave that area at any time of year. The Sioux Falls regional landfill near Hartford takes wood debris for $10 a ton or $5 a truckload.
What the crane costs
The arborist usually books the crane and includes it in the price. On published rates:
- 40 to 45-ton boom truck: $205 an hour, 4-hour minimum, about $820 for a half day.
- 60-ton boom truck: $300 an hour, 6-hour minimum, about $1,800 for a large tree with a long reach from the street.
Fuel and the tree crew are extra. If several neighbors have dead ash, removing them on the same day can share the crane’s minimum. Watch for service lines over the yard: OSHA keeps a crane boom at least 20 feet from lines up to 350 kV unless the utility de-energizes them.
Common questions
How much does a crane add to ash tree removal?
On published rates, a 40 to 45-ton boom truck is $205 an hour with a 4-hour minimum, so about $820 for the crane before fuel. The tree crew, cleanup and stump work are priced separately by the arborist.
Who removes the ash tree in the parking strip?
In residential areas the City of Sioux Falls removes ash trees between the curb and sidewalk under its 10-year plan and grinds the stump at no charge. Trees on your own lot are yours to treat or remove.
Where can the ash wood go?
It has to stay inside the quarantine area, which covers Minnehaha County and parts of Lincoln and Turner counties. The Sioux Falls regional landfill takes wood for $10 a ton or $5 a truckload.
Sources for this guide
- City of Sioux Falls, emerald ash borer homeowner guidance
- City of Sioux Falls, emerald ash borer FAQ
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1408, power line safety
- Central Maine Crane, published boom truck rates, 2026
Price this job with a local operator
Rough numbers are fine to start.
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