Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — In a Foley neighborhood, a city crew is working to remove a dead pine tree along West Orange Avenue. The tree is close to both a house and the street, posing a safety risk to residents and drivers. Crew members use a bucket truck and secure each cut piece with ropes so it doesn’t fall unexpectedly. The city’s Urban Forestry Unit, which began work in January, is now handling this and similar jobs.

The Urban Forestry Unit was created at the start of 2025. Since then, it has removed dangerous trees and trimmed branches that could block roads. On this job, one lane of West Orange Avenue is closed for safety. Foley is only responsible for trees on public property, not private land.

City Councilman Charles Ebert III noticed the dead tree and contacted city staff. The Urban Forestry Unit was called in after the city’s horticulture director confirmed it was dangerous. Corey Parker, head of the unit, says all trees are cut to the legal clearance height of 13 feet, 6 inches, and often higher for fire trucks.

The unit’s work keeps roads safer for larger vehicles like campers and emergency trucks. Before the unit was created, Foley hired private companies for this work. Mike Chavers, street maintenance supervisor, said the city has saved about $300,000 in contractor fees since the team started.