--- title: "Forest Park Dead Tree Program: Stump Removal Is Not Covered" description: "Forest Park pays 60% of dead tree removal up to $1,000 per household, but stump removal is cosmetic work you pay for. See registration and stump rules." url: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/forest-park-dead-tree-program-stump-not-covered publisher: Cincinnati Stump Grinding phone: +1-513-587-6772 quote: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact --- # Forest Park Dead Tree Program: Stump Removal Is Not Covered Forest Park's Residential Dead or Dying Tree/Limb Removal Program pays 60% of the removal cost, up to $1,000 per household. Cosmetic work such as stump removal is not part of the subsidy and is paid by the resident. The page says registration runs the entire month of August. Local: Forest ParkPublished October 26, 20263 min read ## Does the Forest Park dead tree program cover the stump? No. The city’s page says the subsidy funds removal of dead and dying trees and limbs only. It says: “Subsidies will help fund the removal of dead/dying trees & limbs ONLY.” The page then names the work it treats as extra. It calls stump removal, healthy tree limb pruning and grass seeding “cosmetic work.” It says that work is “contracted separately with the contractor and paid directly by the resident.” So if a dead tree comes down under the program, the stump is a separate bill. This post explains that rule. Cincinnati Stump Grinding does not take part in the city program, and nothing here means otherwise. ## What does the program pay? The program is called the Residential Dead or Dying Tree/Limb Removal Program. The page says it began in 2018. Funding works like this: Item What the page says Share paid “Subsidies will be 60% of the cost of the dead or dying tree/limb removal” Cap A maximum subsidy of $1,000 per household Budget The Environmental Program places $15,000 in its annual budget for residential subsidies Order Subsidies go to households “first-come, first-served” Who Single and double-family households Not eligible Street trees, the trees between the sidewalk and the street Notice the last row. A [street tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/street-tree) in the [tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/tree-lawn) is not part of this program. For how Cincinnati treats those, see [who owns the stump on the tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/who-owns-the-stump-on-the-tree-lawn). ## When is registration? The page lists August, and says “registration occurs the entire month.” The page does not name a year on that line. Confirm the year with the Environmental Office before you rely on it. Based on today’s date, October 26, 2026, the August 2026 window has passed. The next window is August of a later year, which the page does not date. The yearly schedule on the page runs in order: 1. August: register in person at the Environmental Office in the City Municipal Building, or call or email your name, address, phone, email and the number and location of trees. 2. September and October (weather dependent): free site assessment and cost estimate from the city’s partner tree specialist. 3. October through February (weather dependent): removal of the dead or dying trees and limbs. Residents who miss August can contact the Environmental Office to ask whether funding is still available. The page says they “may be able to register” if it is. ## What does the page say about stumps? Three things matter. First, the program does not pay for stump removal. Second, the page says stumps cannot be higher than 7 inches and labels that a City Ordinance. Third, it says the tree specialist cuts stumps 2 inches above the soil line unless the resident requests a slightly higher stump. A stump cut at 2 inches fits the height rule, but it is still a stump. The page lists stump removal as work the resident pays for. Read [what is stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-grinding) and [grinding depth](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/grinding-depth) to see how the depth works. The page tells residents to raise stump questions with the tree specialist before signing the assessment. It lists stump removal under cosmetic work “paid for by the resident.” For flush and below-grade options, see flush cut and stump grinding vs stump removal. ## What should I do before I sign? - Read the assessment line by line. Ask whether it lists the stump and at what height. - Ask the Environmental Office what counts as cosmetic work. - Get quotes for stump work separately. Compare them in [stump grinding cost](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/stump-grinding-cost). - Check whether any work is “stated and agreed to in writing.” The page says extra work not in the written assessment is the resident’s cost. This post is about the city’s rules only. It is not an endorsement of any provider. The page was read on October 26, 2026. For local pages, see [stump grinding in Forest Park](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/stump-grinding/forest-park-oh). ## Next step Read [stump grinding cost](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/stump-grinding-cost) to plan the part the program does not cover. Call (513) 587-6772 or [send photos for a free estimate](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does the Forest Park tree program pay for stump removal? No. The city page says the subsidy funds removal of dead or dying trees and limbs only. Cosmetic work such as stump removal is contracted separately and paid directly by the resident. ### When do I register for the Forest Park program? The page lists August, and says registration occurs the entire month. It does not name a year in that line, so confirm the year with the Forest Park Environmental Office before you plan. ### How high can a stump be in Forest Park? The program page says stumps cannot be higher than 7 inches, and calls that a city ordinance. It also says the tree crew cuts stumps 2 inches above the soil line unless the resident asks for a slightly higher stump. ## Terms on this page - [Grinding depth](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/grinding-depth) - [Stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-grinding) - [Stump removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-removal) - [Street tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/street-tree) - [Flush cut](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/flush-cut) - [Tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/tree-lawn) ## Sources 1. [City of Forest Park: Residential Dead or Dying Tree/Limb Removal Program](https://www.forestpark.org/government/environmental_awareness/tree_assistance_program.php) Written by Cincinnati Stump Grinding and checked against the sources above on October 26, 2026. City rules and product guidance change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [Who owns the stump on the tree lawn, and who grinds it?It depends on the town. Cincinnati takes a 311 request for stumps of city-maintained trees. Wyoming says the city grinds them. Milford and Hamilton name the property owner. Covington and Fort Thomas require city permission to remove a street tree. Read your city page before you hire anyone.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/who-owns-the-stump-on-the-tree-lawn) - [Stump grinding cost: what shapes the price and what to askStump grinding cost depends mostly on stump width, measured at its widest point. Many pros price by the inch and add a minimum charge. Access, wood type, depth and cleanup change the total. Published guides show wide ranges, so a quote for your own stump is the only number that counts.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/stump-grinding-cost) - [Emerald ash borer in Ohio, and what it means for the ash stump in your yardEmerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees. Ohio State University Extension says it was confirmed in Hamilton County in 2007. EAB kills only the above-ground part of an ash, so a dead ash stump can send up new shoots, called bush ash. Those shoots can be attacked again.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/ash-trees-emerald-ash-borer-stumps) - [What to do with a dead ash tree stumpA dead ash tree stump can send up new shoots because emerald ash borer kills only the above-ground part of the tree. Ohio State University Extension calls the multi-stemmed regrowth bush ash. The new stems can be attacked again. Your options are to leave the stump, ask about shoots, or have it ground.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/dead-ash-tree-stump) - [Before you grind: 811, the tree lawn and street tree permitsThe Ohio and Kentucky statutes tell an excavator to notify 811 before excavation. The Ohio definition of excavation does not name stump grinding, so ask OHIO811 or Kentucky 811 if you are unsure. The call is free. A stump on the tree lawn follows city rules, and those rules differ by town.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/before-you-grind-811-tree-lawn-permits) - [Can you plant a tree after stump grinding? Same spot or a new spotYes, but not directly over the old stump. Purdue Extension says it does not want new trees planted immediately over existing stumps, because the spot has limited soil depth, settles, and the ground wood ties up nitrogen. Plant a short distance away, or fill the hole and wait. Locate underground utilities first.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/can-you-plant-a-tree-after-stump-grinding)