Have a question about the parks? Want to report a problem or concern?
Montgomery Parks’ Public Information & Customer Service Office
Call us: 301-495-2595
Email us: Info@MontgomeryParks.org
Visit us: Montgomery Parks Headquarters
Submit your Inquiry Now:
Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding Tree Requests
I reported a dangerous or fallen tree to Montgomery Parks. Now what happens?
Once you report a dangerous or fallen tree to Montgomery Parks, the Montgomery Parks Public Information & Customer Service Office will send you an e-mail with a work order number that you can reference throughout the process. Once the work order number is issued, an inspector from our Arboriculture Section will visit the affected site, and report to the area to inspect the tree and location. It is a priority for Montgomery Parks to respond to your work request, however our crews must prioritize work in order to address the most hazardous issues first. You may check on your work request by emailing Service.Center@MontgomeryParks.org or calling 301-495-2595.
Please note: Montgomery Parks is not responsible for the removal of debris from private property.
Is Montgomery Parks responsible for the removal of debris from private property?
Montgomery Parks is not responsible for the removal of debris from private property. The Arboriculture Section of the Montgomery Parks Department has a duty to inspect and mitigate risks associated with trees located on park property, especially, in and around amenities or areas where we invite the public. In compliance with existing Maryland state laws, it is not our duty to provide courtesy removal of trees and debris from private property. Providing this service would tax our fiscal and human resources to a degree that would hamper our ability to inspect and maintain trees growing on Park property to levels that meet our own expectations.
How does the Park Arborist Inspector prioritize work requests?
The Montgomery Parks Department has an active policy to maintain the safety of Parkland from potential damages and/or injury resulting from trees considered to be a “high risk” of failure. The Arboriculture Section strives to eliminate, in a timely fashion, any tree growing on Parkland that is deemed to be of high risk of failure. Priority is placed on trees deemed to be of the highest risk of failure, i.e., trees in need of “emergency” response. The standard for rating the risk of failure associated with any given tree is determined by the Park’s Arborist Inspectors with respect to their professional experience and following the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) a300 Tree Risk Assessment Standard and the International Society of Arboriculture’s Best Management Practices for Tree Risk Assessment. The Montgomery Parks Urban Forester administers the program and has final judgment in all matters concerning mitigation measures taken for any tree deemed to be of “high risk” or “emergency.”
What determines the timeline for completion of tree removal work?
There are over 400 parks in Montgomery County which encompass over 36,000 acres of land. The Arboriculture Section consistently has hundreds of active work requests for tree work that has already been inspected, prioritized and are waiting in the queue to be completed by our small staff of highly trained tree professionals. If the Park Arborist Inspector determines tree maintenance work is needed, the estimated time frame to complete the work is based on tree risk as outlined below:
These times are approximate and may vary based on emergency work due to weather or storm events which can cause tree damage that may take priority over existing work requests extending the above time frames.
Regarding Work Requests
How do I find out the status of my existing work request?
Call or email the Public Information & Customer Service Office at 301-495-2595 or info@montgomeryparks.org.
What is the process after a work request is created?
One of our maintenance crew members will inspect the request within 30 calendar days. If tree maintenance work is determined necessary, the work is prioritized and scheduled with respect to the tree crew's work program.
