Best Tree Services in Nelson

We assessed 16 tree services in Nelson and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 263 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 22 September 2026. How we rank

Top 5 Tree Services in Nelson

The top 5 tree services in Nelson are #1 That Tree Guy, #2 Paramount Contracting, #3 Stump Grinding Services, #4 Atom Tree Arborists, and #5 Tasman Treehugger, ranked by Top5 Score.

  • 1

    That Tree Guy

    ★ 5.0 110 reviews Score 161
    Highest
    5★ 106 4★ 4

    That Tree Guy covers tree removal, stump grinding, pruning, and hedge work across Nelson, turning around quotes within hours and completing jobs on the agreed date even when urgent storm work is in the queue.

    Manson Avenue, Stoke, Nelson

    Call 028 461 3049 Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    Paramount Contracting

    ★ 5.0 31 reviews Score 144
    16.7 behind
    5★ 31

    Paramount Contracting gets tree felling, stump grinding, pruning, and hedge trimming done with a can-do approach that accommodates tight schedules, builder timelines, and even same-day emergency callouts after storm damage.

    Call 027 549 7374 Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Stump Grinding Services

    ★ 5.0 25 reviews Score 142
    19.5 behind
    5★ 25

    Stump Grinding Services focuses on stump grinding and root removal, including large stumps, exposed surface roots, and high-volume jobs like clearing 40-plus hedge stumps in a single visit.

    334 River Terrace Road, Brightwater

    Call 021 081 82123 Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    Atom Tree Arborists Nelson

    ★ 4.9 23 reviews Score 139
    22.0 behind
    5★ 20 4★ 3

    Atom Tree Arborists handles large-scale removals, canopy pruning, and tight-access trimming, including felling big ash and pine trees and pruning in confined garden spaces.

    Ranzau Road, Hope, Richmond

    Call 0800 286 687 Map Is this your business?
  • 5

    Tasman Treehugger

    ★ 5.0 20 reviews Score 139
    22.5 behind
    5★ 20

    Tasman Treehugger covers tree removal, fruit tree pruning, conifer felling, hedge work, and new tree planting with shaping and aftercare advice included.

    100 Lud Valley Road, Hira

    Call 021 229 2793 Map Is this your business?

More rankings

More services in Nelson 9 links
Tree Services elsewhere in New Zealand 4 links

Before you hire a tree service in Nelson

Tree removal, felling, pruning, trimming and stump grinding are hazardous work, so use a qualified arborist. Always confirm the operator carries public liability insurance and, if the tree is near a boundary or structure, ask whether a council resource consent is needed before any work begins.

The questions below are drawn from 235 customer reviews collected for this page.

What does tree removal or pruning typically cost in New Zealand?

Small tree removals in New Zealand start around $500, while large or complex jobs can exceed $5,000. Stump grinding is quoted separately, with most jobs falling between $150 and $500 per stump.

Pruning a few residential trees commonly costs between $200 and $1,500, depending on size and number. What drives the price up is access difficulty, proximity to structures, site complexity, and whether green waste disposal is included in the quote.

What qualifications and insurance should a tree service have?

There is no mandatory government licence to call yourself an arborist in New Zealand, so checking credentials independently is essential. The main professional body is the New Zealand Arboricultural Association (NZAA), which maintains a public register you can search before hiring.

Look for contractors holding the NZ Certificate in Arboriculture at Level 3 or Level 4, as this is the recognised industry qualification. Public liability insurance of at least $1 million is standard for reputable operators, and any work near powerlines must comply with the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, which restricts who can legally carry out or supervise that work.

Do I need council consent to remove a tree on my property?

Check your council's GIS maps or District Plan schedules before any removal work begins, as many trees are protected regardless of who owns the land they sit on. Resource consent applications for protected or notable trees can cost between $500 and $3,000 in council processing fees alone, and the council can decline or attach replanting conditions. Removing a protected tree without consent risks enforcement action under the Resource Management Act 1991, and councils can require replacement at your own expense.

What are the warning signs of a tree service you shouldn't hire?
  • –No written quote provided before work starts, leaving scope and price open to dispute afterwards
  • –Refusal or failure to show proof of public liability insurance before beginning work near your home or boundary
  • –No process for checking underground services such as water mains, gas lines, and fibre cables before stump grinding begins
  • –Pressure to start immediately without a site visit or discussion about what is actually being removed
  • –Vague cleanup terms in the quote, with no clear agreement on who removes debris, logs, and green waste
  • –Use of climbing spikes on trees that are being pruned rather than removed, which causes lasting damage to the tree
What should you ask before hiring a tree service?
  • –Can you provide proof of public liability insurance, and are your workers covered under a workplace injury policy?
  • –Is cleanup, green waste removal, and site tidying included in the quoted price, or charged separately?
  • –Do you check for underground services such as water, gas, and fibre before stump grinding, and who is responsible if something is struck?
  • –Does this tree require resource consent from the council before removal, and will you help confirm that before starting?
  • –Is your quote fixed, and what is your process if the job turns out to be more complex than expected once work is underway?
  • –Do you hold the NZ Certificate in Arboriculture or membership with the New Zealand Arboricultural Association (NZAA)?
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About this ranking

What the 10 tree services listed above hold, at the 22 September 2026 check.

110
reviews held by the #1 ranked business
20
reviews held by the #5 ranked business
4.9
lowest rating among the 10 listed
0%
of their 263 reviews are one-star
How are the top tree services in Nelson chosen?

We build this page from Google Maps results for tree services in Nelson. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record, using the same published method on every page. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. See how we rank for how rankings are made and who is left out. On specialist pages like this one, a business's reviews count in proportion to how many of them are about tree services, so a business mostly reviewed for other work cannot win on review volume alone. See the words we look for.

Are you a tree service in Nelson?

No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying your listing is free: it adds a small trust bonus (+3 points) to your score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing, and gives you a dashboard showing how your score is made up. A paid subscription adds a website link, a profile page and your ranking history. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.

Not listed? The usual reasons are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Check where you rank first, and if you think we missed you, get in touch.

How far is each one from you?

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