Refuse and recycling carts at the curb
Streets & Urban Forestry

  1. July 3: Follow Your Normal Schedule

    Friday, July 3 is not a holiday for Madison, WI.

    If you have a Friday collection, place carts out for pickup by 6:30am on that day.

    Drop-off sites open for normal Friday hours.

  2. Drop-off Sites Closed on July 4, 2026

    Drop-off sites closed on Saturday, 7/4/26 for the 4th of July holiday. 

    Sites reopen on Monday, July 6. 

  3. Recycling Survey

    Help us help you recycle better by taking our recycling survey.

    And, maybe test your recycling knowledge with our brief recycling quiz.

Urban Forestry

The Urban Forestry section of the Streets Division plants, prunes, and cares for the 100,000 trees along City of Madison streets.  Trees in parks are maintained by the Parks Division.  Trees in stormwater greenways are overseen by Engineering Division.  Private property trees are the responsibility of the property owner. 

Our staff takes great pride in our rigid safety standards; whether planting a new tree or cleaning up after a major storm, we are dedicated to the safety of workers, residents, and property while creating a thriving and diverse urban canopy.

What We Do

  • Arborists rope pruning and training
  • A specialized crane is grabbing onto a large tree limb that has fallen onto a house.
  • Urban Forestry crews planting tree on Maple Valley Rd
  • Field staff is measuring a tree prior to injection for emerald ash borer treatment
  • This is a photo of the newly planted trees in the Allied neighborhood.
  • View of the capitol down a tree-lined street.
  • Using an air spade to mark tree roots so they are not disturbed for a construction project
  • Urban Forestry personnel prunes a tree from the ground
  • Urban Forestry arborist in a lift truck and appropriately in the safety harness
  • Trimming a tree way up high in a lift truck
  • An arborist speaks with a resident about a concern with a tree as work is occuring
  • Crews cleaning up the brush from what they trimmed
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