A big tree that's dead, started leaning, or took a beating from the last storm has a way of nagging at the back of your mind every time the wind picks up. Putting off a removal usually makes things riskier and pricier down the road, since a weak tree can drop a limb on your roof, your car, or someone you know without much warning. Douglas Tree Co. takes that worry off your plate with safe, reliable tree removal for folks in Licking, MO, and nearby areas, so you can quit eyeing that trunk and get back to enjoying your yard.
Douglas Tree Co. is a locally owned tree service based in Licking, MO, serving homeowners, landowners, and businesses. Our company specializes in tree removal of every shape and size, from a single hazardous trunk in the backyard to full lot clearing across acres. Backed by comprehensive insurance and years of hands-on experience, our crew handles routine jobs and genuinely tricky ones with the same care.
Most people don't give a tree much thought until it starts causing problems. Maybe the leaves stopped coming in on one side, the trunk developed a worrying lean, or a storm cracked a major limb, leaving it dangling over the driveway. A tree in that shape is unpredictable, and the longer it stands, the better the odds it fails at the worst possible moment and lands on something you care about.
There's usually a story behind why a tree turns dangerous. Root rot, disease, insect damage, drought stress, and old storm wounds all weaken a tree from the inside, often well before anything looks off on the surface. Soil that stays soggy, roots sliced during construction, or a fungus quietly working through the trunk can hollow out a tree until it no longer has the strength to hold itself upright. By the time the warning signs are easy to spot, the structure is already frequently compromised.
This is where a real tree removal service like us earns its keep. We start by reading the tree, sizing up its lean, the soil around the base, and the health of the trunk and big limbs, then we map out a plan that keeps people and property well clear of the action. Depending on the spot, that might mean climbing the tree and lowering it piece by piece with ropes and rigging, bringing in a crane for a tight backyard, or running a bucket truck to reach the high stuff. Every cut gets planned before the saw ever touches bark because rushing a removal is exactly how accidents happen.
Once the work wraps up, you're left with a clear, safe space and none of the stress that came with that failing tree. A lot of tree removal companies will fell a tree and leave you staring at the mess, while we haul off the debris, tidy the area, and grind the stump if you want a clean slate.
As a full-service professional tree service, we take on a wide range of removal jobs, and here's a closer look at the work involved.
Sometimes the job is bigger than a single tree, and that's where our clearing work comes in. Lot and land clearing, fence line clearing, roadside clearing, and utility line clearing all open up space and keep sightlines clear. Brush clearing, cedar clearing, and undergrowth clearing finish the picture when an overgrown patch needs to be cut back to bare ground.
When a tree becomes a liability, our crew steps in to take it down before it causes any harm. Hazardous, fallen, dead, diseased, leaning, and storm-damaged trees all fall within what we remove, no matter how rough a shape they're in. Storm damage cleanup and emergency tree removal fall under this banner, too, so a sudden mess in the yard doesn't have to sit for days.
Some trees grow in spots that make a straightforward drop impossible, and those happen to be the jobs we enjoy most. Crane-assisted removals, rope-and-rigging removals, and tight-access removals let us work safely around houses, fences, and anything else you would rather keep in one piece. Bucket truck work, manual climbing, and storm-damaged climber also recoveries give us a way to reach just about anything, however high or awkward it sits.
Trees have a way of getting overgrown quicker than most folks expect, and our tree pruning service keeps yours in good shape before things get out of hand. Thoughtful cuts open up the canopy, steer growth in a healthier direction, and pull weight off limbs that are reaching too far.
When a tree gives way during a storm, every minute it sits where it landed adds to the worry, so our emergency tree services run around the clock. Pick up the phone at any hour, and we'll get a truck off your roof, vehicle, or barn, deal with limbs tangled in power lines, and reopen the roads and driveways that got blocked.
Once a tree is down, that leftover stump is usually the last thing standing between you and a clean yard, and our stump removal crew takes care of it. We grind it well below the surface, chase down the roots, and smooth out the ground so nothing trips you up later.
Running a property of any size comes with its own set of tree headaches, and our commercial tree services lift those right off your plate. Ranchers count on us for pasture expansion and livestock shade work, while apartments, schools, churches, and city contracts lean on us for steady upkeep and roadside vegetation control.
Owning a stretch of woods is a long game, and our forest management service helps you play it well from one season to the next. We thin out fire-prone fuel, set firebreaks, improve soil conditions, and monitor for insects and diseases that could spread through your stand. For landowners ready to harvest, we turn high-quality logs into milled lumber, live-edge slabs, mulch, and wood chips.
There are plenty of reasons people choose our arborist service over the others, and these are the ones that matter most.
A fallen tree at 5:00 a.m. is no fun, so our phone stays on around the clock for the emergencies that can't wait.
Carrying the proper licenses and full coverage means that any on-the-job surprise becomes our problem to sort out, not yours.
Right here in the community is where we live and work, so our name and reputation ride on doing right by our neighbors.
We offer great discounts, including 10% off for first responders, veterans, and active-duty members, plus 10% off tree trimming and removal for seniors 65 and up.
Yes, a professional tree service can remove trees growing close to homes, barns, garages, fences, driveways, and other important areas. In Licking, MO, tree removal often requires careful planning because rural properties may have tight access, uneven terrain, nearby utility lines, or storm-weakened trees.
Permit rules can vary by city, county, property type, and whether the tree sits near a road, utility line, or protected area. Before starting tree removal in Licking, MO, property owners should check with local officials or utility providers to determine whether the tree may affect public access, power lines, or shared property boundaries.
A tree may need removal if it has major cracks, dead sections, disease, heavy leaning, root damage, hollow areas, or large limbs falling without warning. Missouri storms, heavy wind, saturated soil, and ice can make weak trees more dangerous, so a local tree service can help decide whether removal or pruning makes more sense.
Professional tree removal can include hazardous tree removal, fallen tree removal, dead or diseased tree removal, storm-damage cleanup, and technical removals near structures or in tight spaces. Many tree removal jobs also involve clearing brush, limbs, trunks, fence lines, roadsides, lots, or access areas to make the property safer and easier to use.
You should schedule tree removal when a tree becomes unsafe, blocks access, threatens a structure, leans heavily, or shows signs of serious decay. In Missouri, it also helps to handle risky trees before storm season, heavy rain, winter ice, or high winds turn a manageable problem into a bigger mess.
FAQs reviewed by Rowan Douglas, owner of Douglas Tree Co., a fully licensed and insured tree service.
If a tree is making you nervous, blocking access, or sitting too close to something important, our tree removal company is ready to help.
Business Name: Douglas Tree Co.
Address: Licking, MO 65542
Phone: 417-349-3236
Business Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sat: Closed
Sun: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
24/7 Emergency Tree Response
Ask us about our payment options
Summer Safety Special — hazard tree assessment
First responders, veterans, and active-duty members get a 10% discount.
Senior citizens (+65) discount for tree trimming and removal–10% off.