Ask three people what the difference is between "trimming" and "pruning" a tree and you'll likely get three different answers — most people use the words interchangeably, and honestly, so do a lot of tree companies. But in Hot Springs there's a real legal wrinkle underneath the vocabulary: prune, or top, a tree standing in the city right-of-way without a permit and you're on the wrong side of a specific ordinance. One call connects you with an independent local crew who can look at your tree and tell you what it actually needs.
Call (501) 382-0261 — Ask About Your Tree Free estimates are the local norm — ask what the crew recommends and why.Two overlapping words for two related but distinct goals.
Cutting back growth to keep a tree or hedge a manageable size, clear a walkway or roofline, or maintain a particular shape. Often routine, often seasonal.
A more targeted cut: dead, damaged, crossing, or diseased limbs removed to improve structure, air flow, or long-term health, not just appearance.
Hot Springs' code specifically regulates pruning of right-of-way trees. Whatever you call the job, if the tree stands in the public right-of-way, the city's rule applies to the actual cutting, not the label you use for it.
Responsibility depends on where the tree stands and what's nearby.
Generally yours to maintain as you see fit, subject to any right-of-way rule if the tree happens to sit on the public strip near the street.
A tree growing on the line between two properties is generally a shared responsibility under Arkansas guidance. A neighbor may trim branches that cross onto their side, but may not enter your property or harm the tree itself.
That's Entergy's line-clearance process, separate from ordinary landscape trimming — covered in the Local Specifics section below.
A crew looks at structure, health, and what's being asked for — clearance, shape, or removing specific problem limbs — before making a cut.
Ladders, ropes, or lifts depending on the tree and the access, with technique the independent crew is responsible for choosing and executing safely.
Some species prune better in dormancy, others tolerate work year-round; either way, debris hauling is worth confirming as part of the scope before work begins.
This describes the general scope of trimming and pruning work, not what any particular crew will do, recommend, or charge for your tree — every job is assessed and priced by the independent provider who takes your call. For cost, call for a quote.
The single most important local fact on this page — most homeowners have never heard it.
Before anyone puts a saw to a tree between the sidewalk and the street, check with Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry at (501) 651-7733. Hot Springs has been a Tree City USA since 2000 with a Growth Award since 2001; Parks & Recreation manages 10,000+ public trees. Source: hotspringsar.gov/181/Urban-Forestry.
The boundary is real: Entergy clears the space around its lines; everything else on the tree is a homeowner matter for their own trimming or pruning crew. Source: entergy.com/tree-trimming.
This is general guidance, not legal advice or a substitute for consulting an attorney or your insurer about your specific situation. Source: treelaws.org/arkansas-tree-laws.
Routine trimming and pruning decisions on pines in Garland County aren't being driven by an active beetle threat — that's a genuine difference from some other pine-growing regions. Source: Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Health Highlights 2024.
Not for a tree fully on your own private property. Ordinance #4867's permit rule specifically covers pruning of trees standing in the city right-of-way, the public strip between the sidewalk and the street.
Generally the city-owned strip along a street, often between the curb and the sidewalk, even though it may look like part of the front yard. If you're unsure whether a tree sits on it, call Urban Forestry at (501) 651-7733.
No. Topping right-of-way trees is prohibited outright under the city's rules, permit or not. It's worth asking any crew whether what they're proposing for a street tree would count as topping.
General guidance suggests you may trim branches that cross onto your own side of the line, but you can't enter your neighbor's property or harm the tree itself. This is general information, not legal advice — for anything contentious, talk to your neighbor first, or ask an attorney.
Arkansas liability for a fallen tree generally turns on negligence rather than simple ownership: a healthy tree that fell naturally typically doesn't create owner liability, while a known-hazardous tree left untreated can. This is general guidance only — check with your insurer or an attorney about your specific situation.
Entergy's line-clearance program runs on its own schedule with advance notice — an automated call about two weeks out, a door hanger, and a knock the day of. To report a specific concern near a line, call 800-368-3749.
It depends on the species and the goal — dormant-season pruning suits many trees, while some routine shaping tolerates work most of the year. Ask the crew what's right for your specific tree rather than assuming one rule fits every species.
Removing dead, weak, or crossing limbs before a storm can reduce what breaks loose in high wind, though it can't guarantee a tree won't fail in a severe event. It's a reasonable habit, not a substitute for a hazard assessment on a tree that already worries you.
Not currently. Arkansas's most recent statewide forest health report notes that a pine beetle outbreak hasn't occurred in the state, or states west of the Mississippi, in over two decades. Pruning here is driven by structure and health, not an active beetle threat.
Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry is at City Hall Annex, 111 Opera St Suite B, (501) 651-7733, and covers permits and questions about right-of-way trees.
Hot Springs and the Garland County communities around it.
Describe the tree and what's bothering you about it. One call connects you with an independent Hot Springs–area crew.
Call (501) 382-0261