Tree work in Lyndhurst: what to expect
Lyndhurst is the largest of the south Bergen river towns: a grid of 1920s to 1950s houses on narrow lots between the Passaic River and the Meadowlands, with Ridge Road and Stuyvesant Avenue as its spines and a long industrial and marshland edge along Route 17 and the turnpike. The street trees are pin oaks, London planes and Norway maples; back yards hold silver maples and spruces; and the riverfront along Riverside Avenue carries cottonwoods and sycamores that take the floods.
Access is the usual south-Bergen problem, close houses and detached garages, with the added fact that much of the township is low and wet. The township wrote a tree removal and replacement section into its code in late 2024, so the process is newer than many contractors' habits.
Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Lyndhurst?
Yes, since November 2024, and the application is free. Ordinance 3215-24, adopted November 12, 2024, added Section 26-14, Tree Removal-Replacement, to Chapter 26 of the Township Code. Anyone planning to remove a non-street tree 6 inches or more in diameter at breast height submits a Tree Removal Application to the Superintendent of Public Works, and the tree stays up until the township approves. The application fee is $0 in every size category. Healthy trees are replaced per the model table (one to four 1.5-inch trees by size), with the township recommending species; where the trees cannot be planted the fee is $250 per required replacement tree. The homeowner allowance is narrower than in most towns: residents may remove one tree per property in the three smaller categories within a five-year period without replacement. Hazard trees, documented with photos or a licensed expert's statement, are exempt. The older parts of Chapter 26 protect street trees under the DPW and the Advisory Shade Tree Committee, with fines up to $1,000.
Where to ask: Department of Public Works, Township of Lyndhurst; Code Enforcement, 201-804-2480; Town Hall, 367 Valley Brook Avenue. Source: Township Code Chapter 26, Trees, § 26-14 (ecode360) and lyndhurstnj.org Code Enforcement page, read October 2026. Confirm the current rule with the municipality before work starts; ordinances change and towns were still amending these in 2025.
What goes wrong with trees in Lyndhurst
- Riverfront flood trees. Cottonwoods and sycamores along Riverside Avenue and the Passaic that have been through Irene and Ida; leaners with exposed roots are the township's main emergency.
- Silver maples over garages. The standard back-yard tree on a forty-foot lot; split forks and limbs over three roofs.
- Meadowlands wind. Nothing breaks the wind coming across the marsh; tall spruces and shallow-rooted trees on the east side go over in nor'easters.
- Tree of heaven and spotted lanternfly. Along the tracks, Route 17 and the industrial edge; the lanternfly's host tree, cheap to remove.
What it costs in Lyndhurst (2026)
| Job | Typical NJ price |
|---|---|
| Small tree, under 30 ft | $200 – $600 |
| Medium tree, 30 – 60 ft | $500 – $1,500 |
| Large tree, 60 – 80 ft | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Crane removal over a house | $2,500 – $3,500+ |
| Tree trimming, mature tree | $450 – $700 |
| Stump grinding | $100 – $500 per stump |
Ranges are published 2026 New Jersey figures (T&D Tree's NJ cost guide and treecostremovalcalculator.com's NJ pages), not quotes from this site; some North Jersey companies publish higher 2026 ranges, which we compare in the Bergen County cost guide. Your number depends on the tree, the access and your town's permit.
With a $0 application, a Lyndhurst quote is the tree and the lot. Narrow lots mean climbing and roping in the middle to upper range for anything large. The one-tree-per-five-years allowance is tight: if you plan to take out two healthy trees, the second will need replacement planting or $250 per required tree, so sequence the work or document hazards.
What we can line up in Lyndhurst
Tree removal
Oaks over the roof, storm-split maples, dying ash: climbing, rigging and crane jobs.
Storm and emergency work
A tree on the house, the car or across the driveway, with the insurance paperwork you will need.
Is this tree dangerous?
A licensed look at a leaner, a cracked fork or a thinning crown before you decide.
Pruning and trimming
Deadwood out, clearance off the roof and the service line, weight off long limbs.
Stump grinding
Old stumps ground out so the spot can be lawn, patio or a replacement tree.
Lot and brush clearing
Overgrown back lots, pool and addition footprints, saplings and vines taken back to soil.
Streets and neighborhoods we cover around Lyndhurst
We match homeowners across the township: Ridge Road and Stuyvesant Avenue, Valley Brook Avenue, the Riverside Avenue and Kingsland Avenue riverfront, the Page Avenue and Delafield Avenue blocks, and the Rutherford and North Arlington borders. Nearby we also cover Rutherford, Hasbrouck Heights, North Arlington, East Rutherford and, across the river, Nutley and Belleville.
How it works
- Describe the tree. Your town, what is wrong or what you want done, and a photo from the street if you can get one. A minute on the form.
- We hand it to one company that works your town. An independent Bergen County tree business registered with the NJ Board of Tree Experts and insured, picked because it actually covers your municipality and knows its permit.
- They come out and price it in writing. The company calls or texts you, looks at the tree, and gives you a written quote with no obligation. From there you deal with them directly.
Lyndhurst tree questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Lyndhurst, NJ?
Yes, since November 2024, for any tree 6 inches or more in diameter at breast height: a Tree Removal Application to the DPW Superintendent, no fee, approved before the tree comes down. Hazard trees documented in writing are exempt from replacement.
How many trees can I remove in Lyndhurst without replanting?
One per property in the smaller size categories within five years. Beyond that, healthy trees are replaced one-to-four by size, or $250 per required replacement tree is paid to the township.
How much does tree removal cost in Lyndhurst?
Published 2026 New Jersey ranges: about $200 to $600 for a small tree, $500 to $1,500 for a medium tree, $1,000 to $2,500 for a large one and $2,500 or more for a crane job over a house, plus $100 to $500 per stump. Lyndhurst's narrow lots keep most jobs in the rigging range.
Who handles the street tree in front of my house?
The DPW and the Advisory Shade Tree Committee. Chapter 26 forbids residents from cutting or damaging a street tree; report problems to the DPW.