Every Tree in Chicago
Has a Story.
Some Need a
New Chapter.
The Crew
Behind the Rope.
Every Canopy climber is ISA certified. You'll meet them before they set foot on your property.
Marcus Delgado
Lead Climber & Removal Specialist
Technical Removals & Crane Work
When an elm over Ravenswood Manor buckles under February ice load, Marcus is the first one in the harness. He's been running technical removals in tight Chicago yards for eleven years — threading 80-foot sections between fence lines, utility drops, and garage roofs without a scratch. His crane-assisted takedowns handle what no ground crew can: the century-old oaks leaning toward attached garages, the storm-split silver maples pinned against power lines. Every cut is planned from the top down.
Elena Vasquez
Certified Plant Health Care Specialist
Disease Diagnosis & Treatment Plans
Elena can read a tree the way a doctor reads an X-ray. Crouching at the base of a Ravenswood ash, soil probe in hand, she identifies emerald ash borer pressure before the canopy shows a single dead branch. Her treatment protocols — trunk injections, soil amendments, crown thinning schedules — have kept hundreds of Chicago parkway trees off the removal list. She writes the plant health care plans that protect mature canopies for the next generation of owners.
Darnell Okafor
Emergency Response & Storm Crew Lead
Storm Damage & Emergency Response
After a lake-effect derecho, Darnell's crew is on the road before most people are awake. He manages Canopy's emergency response fleet — chainsaws, chippers, and a 50-ton crane on standby — and has cleared everything from downed oaks across Sheridan Road to split hackberries through North Shore carport roofs. He coordinates directly with Chicago and Cook County permits so property managers don't have to make a single call to the city.
What We Do
Up There.
From first cut to final cleanup — every service performed by certified climbers, not ground crews guessing.
Tree Removal
Full takedowns from 10-foot ornamentals to 100-foot hardwoods. Crane-assisted work for tight Chicago yards where no ground crew can operate safely.
Structural Pruning
Crown cleaning, deadwood removal, and canopy shaping before the next derecho. We work to ANSI A300 standards — no topping, no lion-tailing.
24/7 Storm Response
Lake-effect ice loads. Derechos. Fallen oaks across Sheridan Road at 2 AM. We run a standing emergency crew and aim for sub-4-hour response across Chicagoland.
Stump Grinding
Full stump removal to 12" below grade. We haul all grindings and backfill with topsoil so the space is ready to replant.
Plant Health Care
Emerald ash borer treatment, soil injection programs, and annual health assessments. We keep mature trees off the removal list.
Two Ways to
Work with Canopy.
Chicago Tree
Owner's Guide
A PDF written specifically for Chicago homeowners — not generic tree tips. Covers seasonal pruning calendars, emerald ash borer ID, city permit requirements, and storm-damage next steps.
Get a Free
Walk-Through
A certified arborist walks your property, assesses every tree, and gives you a written report — no sales pressure, no invoice. We want you to understand your canopy before you commit to anything.