Forestry

After the gifts are unwrapped and the guests have gone home, it'll be time to un-deck the halls. Happily, the Town of Berthoud is once again hosting its annual tree recycling program. Please remove all of your ornaments, lights, and tinsel, and drop the dried trees off at the Parks building located at 100 10th St. (Please don't leave them outside of the gates.) Our Forestry and Open Space teams will turn them into mulch that will be used around town next year.  

• Monday, December 29th through Saturday, January 10th, 2026

• Location: 100 10th Street, inside the parking lot. There will be a sign.

  • Drop off times Monday - Thursday: 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

  • Drop off times on Friday: 7:00 AM -3:30 PM 

  • Drop off time on Saturday: Jan 10th: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

  • Closed Saturday, January 3rd, and Closed Sundays

At the January 22, 2019 Town Council Meeting, the Town Board of Trustees approved the adoption of a Street Tree Work Permit and development of Town Ordinance 1266. With this update, a permit must be acquired and approved by Town Staff prior to conducting any tree work (e.g., pruning, removal, treatment, etc.) on trees located within street rights-of-way  (“tree lawns”). Tree lawns are the portion of property located between the street curb and the sidewalk, and in accordance to Municipal Code Section 30-2-112(B)(5) it is the abutting property owner’s responsibility for the maintenance of trees located in the right-of-way. Please note, failure to meet Town policy may result in a fine of $2,500 in accordance to Town Ordinance 1266. 

Street Tree Work Permit Application

Regulations for spacing of trees to be planted on public rights-of-way

• All newly-planted street trees shall be planted midway between the sidewalk and the curb. Trees shall be spaced to allow for safe, healthy, attractive growth.
• No trees will be planted closer than 5' to any driveway or alley, nor shall it be planted in such a manner that eventual growth cannot be reasonably maintained to avert interference with, or obstruction of, any improvements installed for the public benefit such as traffic and street signs and lights, fire hydrants, overhead utility wires, streetlights, utility poles, etc.
• At edges of streets where a space of less than 5' in width exists between the curb and the abutting private property line, no trees or woody plants shall be planted on the public area so involved.
• Where an attached sidewalk has been installed, no tree plantings are to be made closer than 5' from the edge of any concrete installation.
• Trees are not to be planted within 10' of either side of water, sewer, or storm drain main lines, or within 5’ of either side of water or sewer service lines.
• No more than three (3) of the same plant genus may be used consecutively in a row-type planting.
• In developments, landscape plans should try to abide by the 5-10-15 biodiversity rule.  No more than 5% species, 10% genus, 15% family to be planted.

1. Per Town Code section 30-2-112(B)(5) it is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner for maintaining, removing and/or replacing trees located within street rights-of-way (tree lawns).
2. A Street Tree Work Permit must be acquired and approved by town staff prior to conducting any tree work (e.g., pruning, removal, treatment, ect.) on trees located within street rights-of-way. 
3. Tree work must (by ordinance) be done by a licensed tree contractor or by the property owner.
4. All stumps on public right-of-way (by ordinance) must be removed to at least 6 inches below grade.
5. Tree limbs should hang no lower than 14 feet over streets and 8 feet over sidewalks. 
6. Shrubs and hedges on street corners must be maintained less than 30 inches in height for a minimum of 25 feet both ways from the corner. 

Deciduous trees allowed along right-of-way or on public lands.

• Oak (Quercus sp.) : Bur*, Chinkapin*, Chesnut*, English*, Shumard*, Texas Red*, Heritage*, Bur-gambel Hybrid*, Fastigate English*, Crimson Spire*.
• Elm (Ulmus sp.): Choice City*, Prospector*, Accolade, Triumph, Discovery, Brandon, Regal.  Make sure cultivar is resistant to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetle.
• Legume Family (Fabaceae): Shademaster Honeylocust*, Skyline Honeylocust, Imperial Honeylocust, Kentucky Coffeetree*, Kentucky Coffeetree Espresso*.
• Linden (Tilia sp.): Redmond, Greenspire, American, Glenleven. 
• Planetree (Platanus sp.): Bloodgood, Exclamation, Northern Advance. Make sure cultivar is resistant to anthracnose.
• Chokecherry (Prunus sp.): Canada Red*, Sucker Punch*.  (Height usually 20-25’)
• Maple (Acer sp.): Bigtooth (single stem)*, State Street*, Caddo Sugar*, Columnare, Fairview.
• Buckeye (Aesculus sp.): Ohio Buckeye*, Yellow Buckeye, Texas Buckeye*, Prairie Torch Hybrid Buckeye, Common Horsechesnut*.
• Other trees allowed along right-of-way by common name: Hackberry*, Western Catalpa*, Turkish Filbert, Ginkgo, Japanese Zelkova*, Tulip Poplar, American Yellowwood, American Hornbeam, Red Baron Crabapple (Height 15-20’), Japanese Pagodatree*

Small deciduous trees suitable for wider tree lawns (10 feet or more)

• Additional tree species may be permitted if approved by the Forestry Department as appropriate. 
• Please note that trees marked with an asterisk are considered drought tolerant.

Additional recommended trees for the Front Range can be found at the following: 
Colorado Tree Coalition
Front Range Recommended Tree List

Trees prohibited for any new planting within the Town of Berthoud right of way or on public lands. 

While we love all trees, these varieties are  prohibited from being planted in the sidewalk space in the Town of Berthoud due to their susceptibility to disease, the way they attract harmful insects, or their overall difficulty in becoming established at our altitude and climate. 

• Any of the ash species (Fraxinus spp.) Including Green, White, Purple, Blue, or any other ash.  Due to emerald ash borer.
• Any of the poplar species (Populus spp.), including but not limited to Cottonwood, Aspen, Silver Poplar, or Lombardy Poplar.
• Any of the Willow species (Salix spp.).
• Box elder tree (Acer negundo) *does not include boxelder sensation
• Siberian (Chinese) elm (Ulmus pumila).
• Any weeping or pendulous type tree (e.g., weeping birch).
• Any shrub or hedge which by its habit of growth would obstruct, restrict, or conflict with necessary and safe use of the public rights-of-way.
• Conifers or evergreens which would eventually grow over the sidewalks or streets.
• Any Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos ) that bears either seed pods or thorns.
• Purple Locust 
• Black Locust
• Mulberry
• Bradford Pear
• Black Walnut
• Russian Olive 
• Tree of Heaven
• Tamarisk 
• Red Maple
• Silver Maple 
• Autumn Blaze Maple 
• Birch

These trees should be avoided in general due to the issues that develop with them over time. (Our altitude and semi-arid climate are not optimal to many types of trees.) Many of the trees below are also prohibited street trees. If you are considering planting one of these varieties on your private property, know the problems associated with the tree. It’s also worth noting that fruit trees have difficulty getting established on the Front Range and require proper care from a devoted owner.

• Aspen
• Lombardy Poplar
• Birch
• Siberian Elm
• Russian Olive
• Box Elder
• Cottonwood
• Sunburst Honeylocust
• Willow
• Tamarisk
• Tree of Heaven
• Black Locust
• Purple Locust
• Mulberry
• Ash (due to emerald ash borer)
• Black Walnut (due to thousand cankers disease)

If you notice a tree with damage that poses a substantial risk to life or property, please use our Berthoud Report A Concern (BRAC) system to let us know. Our certified arborists will assess the situation and take the necessary action.

Berthoud Report a Concern