Who we are
Shawsheen Tree Co. is a tree service focused on Andover, Massachusetts. We’re named after the Shawsheen River, which runs through the town from Ballardvale up through Shawsheen Village, because our work is rooted in the same place. Homeowners, property managers and associations call us for pruning, removal, cabling, stump grinding, plant health care and help after storms.
When you call, we listen to what’s going on with your trees, help you understand the likely cause and options, and schedule a tree professional to assess the tree in person and quote the work. Our goal is simple: make it easy for people in Andover to get good tree care, done the right way, at the right time.
What people call us for
Most calls fall into a few categories:
- Clearance and safety: limbs over roofs and driveways, deadwood, and branches touching the house. See tree trimming and crown raising.
- Big trees that have outgrown their space: reduction instead of topping, and support for weak forks with tree cabling.
- Dead, dying or dangerous trees: careful tree removal, followed by stump grinding.
- Health problems: spots, wilting, thinning crowns and pests, handled through tree disease management and plant health care.
- Properties with many trees: HOAs, office parks and schools through commercial tree service.
- Storm damage: hangers, splits and trees down after nor’easters and ice.
How we approach tree care
Diagnose before cutting
The most expensive tree mistakes come from cutting first and thinking later. Every job should start with a look at the whole tree: roots, trunk, unions and crown. The tree you call about is often fine; sometimes the real problem is the one next to it.
Follow recognized standards
Good tree care in the United States follows the ANSI A300 standards for pruning, support systems and tree care practices, and ANSI Z133 for safety. That means proper pruning cuts at the branch collar, no topping, no climbing spikes on trees that are being kept, and support systems installed at the right height with the right hardware.
Time the work to the tree
The same cut can help or hurt depending on when it’s made. Oaks are pruned only in the dormant season because of oak wilt. Most shade trees are pruned in late winter. Flowering trees are pruned after they bloom. Our pruning calendar for Massachusetts explains the timing.
Be honest about options
Sometimes the right answer is to leave a tree alone. Sometimes it’s cabling instead of removal. Sometimes, unfortunately, it’s removal. You should hear the reasons behind every recommendation and know the price before any work starts.
Where we work
We serve all of Andover, including Andover Center, West Andover, South Andover and Holt Hill, Shawsheen Village, Ballardvale and the streets around the Phillips Academy and Bancroft area. Each neighborhood has its own mix of trees and challenges, and our neighborhood pages explain what’s typical in each.
What you can expect when you call
- A real conversation. Tell us what you’re seeing; we’ll ask a few questions about the tree, its location and anything urgent.
- An on-site assessment. A tree professional looks at the tree in person.
- A clear quote before work. What’s recommended, why, and what it costs.
- Work at the right time. Urgent hazards promptly; routine work in the best season for the species.
- A clean finish. Brush chipped, wood handled the way you choose, and the yard left tidy.
Why local knowledge matters
Andover’s trees face a specific set of pressures: wet snow and ice, nor’easters, emerald ash borer, beech leaf disease, hemlock woolly adelgid and the ever-present risk of oak wilt. Older neighborhoods have century-old trees close to homes; newer ones have woodland edges that were exposed when lots were cleared. Knowing those patterns helps get the diagnosis and the timing right. Our tree care blog shares what we’ve learned, from common tree diseases in Andover to the best trees to plant.
Our commitment
We want every Andover property to have trees that are safe, healthy and well cared for. That means straightforward advice, careful work and no pressure to do more than the tree needs. If you’re looking for tree pruning and tree care in Andover that put the tree and your property first, we’d be glad to hear from you.
Call and tell us what’s going on. We’ll help you figure out the next step.