While municipalities work to clear fallen trees and limbs after last week’s storms, residents may be wondering about how to tackle tree cleanup in their yards.

The town of Maplesville does not have the equipment needed to remove trees and limbs from individual homes, but residents may arrange tree removal through the county.

“We don’t do any kind of removal from private yards,” Town Clerk Sheila Haigler said. “Our ordinance does not call for us to do that.”

Councilman John Caudle said Clanton plans to lend Maplesville two of its limb trucks this week or next week to finish clearing the town’s roads.

“We got the big stuff,” Caudle said. “We’ve gotten down to the limbs. We’re in pretty good shape with that.”

Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver said the city of Clanton has hauled about 150 loads of limbs and debris to a designated area and will continue to pick up tree limbs residents place at the curb.

“Once we get our own people, we’ll help others,” Driver said, adding that Clanton residents may call City Hall for more information about tree removal services.

Regional Extension Agent Patrick Cook said storm-damaged trees can be hazardous to people and property and may need to be removed, depending on the type and severity of the damage.

“To assess the risk, look for damage to the tree’s three primary components: roots, trunk and crown,” Cook said. “The most prominent sign of root damage is a leaning tree.”

Cook said to examine the soil on the opposite side of the lean, and if the dirt is mounding here with cracks in the soil, the tree likely will not survive and should be removed.

“Next, examine the trunk for cracks, splits and ripped bark,” he said. “If there are cracks in the trunk, the tree is very dangerous and should be removed immediately.”

Splits in the trunk result from large branches breaking away from the tree, and these can cause large wounds that will allow decay to enter the tree and cause structural problems later, Cook said.

“If the split causes damage to 50 percent of more of the trunk, the tree is unlikely to survive and should be removed. If damage is less than 50 percent, prune away the remaining stub and monitor the tree. If the damaged area does not seal over and begins to decay, the tree should be removed.”

Cook also advised to look for ripped bark, which results from a limb partially breaking and ripping bark as it falls down the side of the tree, exposing the wood beneath.

“This type of damage does not pose an immediate risk but can cause future problems,” he said. “If 50 percent or more of the trunk’s bark has been removed, the tree is not likely to survive.”

The final step is to examine the crown of the tree for broken limbs.

“Trees with only a few broken limbs are seldom a problem,” Cook said. “However, if 50 percent of more of the crown has been lost, the tree is unlikely to survive and should be removed.”

For more information, contact the Chilton County Extension Office at (205) 280-6268.