Tree Service in Dunlap, IN

Tree Service in Dunlap often involves trees that are big but not especially old. On Palm Sunday, April 11, 1965, two F4 tornadoes destroyed much of the community, killing 67 people and injuring 573 between them; President Lyndon Johnson visited days later. What grew back, and what was planted as Dunlap turned from a farming crossroads into a suburb of Elkhart and Goshen by the 1980s, is now a canopy that is mostly fifty years old or younger.

Why that matters for tree care

Trees planted in a hurry after a disaster, or in a building boom, tend to share traits: fast-growing species, tight spacing, and planting spots that made sense for a sapling but not for a mature tree. In Dunlap that often means:

• Silver maples, Bradford-type pears and willows with weak, narrow forks
• Evergreen rows set too close together, now thinning and leaning
• Shade trees within a few feet of foundations, driveways and septic areas
• Ash planted widely through the 1970s to 1990s, now dead or dying since emerald ash borer reached every Indiana county

None of that means the trees must come down. It means they need someone to look at structure, not just size.

An unincorporated community

Dunlap is a census-designated place in Elkhart County without a town government of its own, so there's no municipal tree lawn permit. For trees along county roads, check with the county before cutting anything in the right-of-way. On your own lot, the call is yours, though some subdivisions have covenants worth checking.

Size of the place

The 2020 census counted 6,442 people, 2,227 households and 2,320 housing units across about 4.93 square miles. Lots here are generally larger than in Elkhart proper, and many homes have backyard trees well away from the street, which helps access but can mean longer drags for brush and wood.

Wind in this corridor

The stretch between Elkhart and Goshen has seen plenty of wind beyond 1965. On March 8, 2017, the Goshen airport recorded a 56 mph gust, a tree fell on a school bus in Goshen, and a large tree landed on a car just outside Elkhart. On July 16, 2024, the EF-1 tornado on Elkhart's south side was a reminder of how quickly storms can form overnight. Weak forks and dead limbs are what fail first in that kind of wind.

What we usually do in Dunlap

1. Structural pruning of fast-growing maples and pears 2. Removing dead ash before they become brittle 3. Thinning or removing crowded evergreens 4. Clearing limbs from roofs and gutters 5. Stump grinding so lawns can be reseeded 6. Storm cleanup

Cabling and bracing

For a valuable tree with a weak fork that is otherwise healthy, cabling between the main stems can reduce the chance of a split. It isn't right for every tree, and it needs periodic checks, but it can keep a good shade tree in place for years. We'll tell you honestly whether it makes sense.

Call (574) 607-4654 or send the form with a few photos. Get a free estimate