Precision, Care and Respect • Lawn-Friendly Equipment • Since 1985

About

How We Are Different

Our Mission

With over 34 years in business, Yankee Tree, LLC owner and Licensed Arborist Jon Parker has built a solid reputation for reliable service, and employs a highly trained and safe crew who work together seamlessly. We give honest and professional evaluations after meeting with you, and make recommendations based on field observations as well as your long-term goals. A Licensed Arborist will always be on the job to ensure precise execution of the work and complete thoroughness.

  • Fully licensed and insured
  • You will always get a call back!
  • Established culture of safety
  • THREE licensed arborists on the tree-care team

Lawn-Friendly Equipment

Precision & Care On Every Job

The biggest difference between Yankee Tree and other companies is the importance we put on lawn- and turf-friendly equipment. Every piece of equipment that goes onto your property is picked to avoid damage to the lawn, irrigation system, septic system or leach field, soft turf or grass, etc. We never leave dents or marks on your lawn, and you’ll never have a bucket truck, log truck, tractor, or tracked vehicle on your lawn. 

Our Story & History

The origins and expansion of Yankee Tree, LLC

The company owner, Jon Parker, grew up on a small farm in East Lyme and developed a solid work ethic and sense of fairness and integrity from the examples set by his parents.  Another positive influence was through his enduring friendship with, and employment by, Wes Jezierski and family, owners of W.J. Tree Service. By 1977 Jon had a B.S. degree in Forestry (University of Vermont) and in 1982 passed the arborist exam.

Yankee Tree Service LLC was started in Salem in 1985 by Jon Parker. In fact, two weeks before Hurricane Gloria struck, there was a small wind storm event in Old Saybrook and that was the true start of the company. With a good-faith loan from Jon’s old friend from Niantic, he bought a brand new chipper to accompany his 1962 dump truck, (that friend still works occasionally for the company to this day). To go along with the equipment, he had an old climbing saddle, two ropes, and three used chainsaws, plus some simple insurance, of course.

The next spring Jon bought a 1973 two ton truck and a 1000 gallon sprayer to save trees from Gypsy moth defoliation. Time passed, he climbed and sprayed trees and sometimes subcontracted another friend from Old Lyme and his bucket truck to speed up some removal and pruning jobs.

In 1987, Jon and his friend from Old Lyme volunteered their equipment and services to prune, and save an ancient, city-owned, American Elm in Norwich previously slated for removal.  He proved the tree to be disease-free and pruned it to make it safer and even more attractive. The Penobscot Street Elm, as it was called, lived on for 20 or so more years, providing shade and beauty to the local city residents. The controversy and fight to save the tree was a local story of Residents vs. City Hall and was covered by TV channel 26 at the time and two regional newspapers. Yankee Tree, LLC grew some more with all this press exposure.

Later that same year, an old high school friend (from East Lyme) who was an estate caretaker suggested Jon pursue the New York arborist license and offer tree care and removal services on Fishers Island, NY. So he did and continues to do so currently. It’s a beautiful and mostly natural island with a fascinating history one can learn about at the Ferguson Museum, Fishers Island, NY.

With the help of skilled and hard-working employees over the years, the business continued to expand. New trucks and sprayers were added, and in 1995 the first bucket truck (aka “cherry picker”) was added–a new 60’ aerial lift device on a used IH cab and chassis. Yankee Tree was successfully continuing to grow their market share and reputation by offering high quality tree and landscape care at a fair and competitive rate.

Jon moved the company and his residence to Old Lyme in 2005 and changed the legal name of the company to Yankee Tree LLC. During the time of 2006 to 2011 the company did a lot of work with yet another friend and arborist (from Lyme) whom he subcontracted and to whom the company owes a debt of gratitude. Additionally, Jon’s sister, Jay Younger, was also an employee during these years and helped advance the business through her dedication, focus, and hard work on the job sites. She’s retired now and living in northern Vermont.

2011 was a pivotal year as Jon purchased a 70’ Nifty Lift and moved away from using the heavier truck-mounted lift-units. Yankee Tree started getting more local accounts while continuing to work for clients from surrounding towns.

In 2014 Jon added an articulated loader with wide turf tires and a rotating log grapple to replace the Kubota tractor. At this point the company became completely lawn, or turf-friendly when it comes to tree pruning, tree removal, and landscape maintenance operations on grassy, soft, or irrigated properties.

Currently Yankee Tree has three licensed arborists on staff and three tree care technicians taking the Arborculture 101 class in preparation for the Arborist exam.


From The Owner

We look forward to growing the business and our client base by expanding with new and innovative equipment but also by continuing to refine and improve our long-standing culture of professionalism, education, training, safety, and respect.

Jon Parker, Owner & Licensed Arborist

Customer Testimonials

This is a group of professionals. Both the boss and the men are prompt, thorough, do what they said they would, and know their trees – for which they give very sound advice if you ask for it. They have a very good local reputation, and are proud of it. Pricing is very fair.

Mary W.

I have used Yankee Tree several times over many years. Jon and his crew do a great job. They do what you ask and leave the job site clean. I highly recommend them!

Tony D.

Excellent service (a tree removal), excellent clean-up, work done when promised, pleasant and professional owner and workers, knowledgeable. First-rate on all fronts.

John N.

Yankee Tree is an excellent and caring tree company. Jon the owner employs pleasant reliable and competent workers. We have had many opportunities to have them on our property with great success . They can do anything from the easy to the very challenging tree climbing and removal. Jon is an expert about everything trees and most of all loves and respects them. I do highly recommend them and their service.

Cathy E.

In Yankee Tree, we finally found a tree service that specializes in caring for trees, not cutting them down. We were completely satisfied with their recommendations and their work.

Peter

Reliable experts make it look easy. Not a single dent in the lawn or any damage, great at what they do!

J. Chandler

Good communication about work that needed to be done. Excellent job under difficult circumstances.

D. McMorrow, President, East Neck Cemetery Society

Just a short note to thank you for the excellent work you and your team provided provided for us earlier this month. The tree removal and tree trimming work we asked to be done was professionally and efficiently executed within the scheduled time and estimated cost and we appreciate the outstanding service. Your team demonstrated a superb work ethic and their performance was well coordinated and safely executed, with careful attention paid to avoid any collateral impact with our rock wall, deer fence, or adjacent trees/shrubs. You had all the right tools, and the professionals to use them, to get the job done “just right”. Thank you for a “job well done” and we look forward to working with you and your team the next time we need arborist services.

J. Padgett, RADM, USN (Ret)

I can’t tell you how grateful my mother and I are for all that you did for us…She wants you to know how very happy – really happy – she is with the work you did and that you made this a priority in what I know is a busy time for you…She was impressed, not just with you and the amazing way you handled all this, with your crew. You saved us from what could have been a real disaster. Thank you!!

A. Pawlina

The East Neck Cemetery Society recently hired Yankee Tree Company to remove several problematic trees…They arrived when they said they would, and went right to work. They arrived with a full crew as discussed in the quote for the four-day project. They were prompt, and properly equipped to attack our project. In our situation, we were dealing with trees overhanging from a neighboring property, and threatening damage to many old gravestones, many of which would be irreplaceable if damaged. Jon and his ENTIRE crew, was extremely careful as well as respectful, in the work they did….Everyone on the ground working one step ahead of the other, it was obvious to me that they had worked so much together that the job of others was known by the entire crew.

If you have tough trees and difficult terrain, these are your guys…I highly recommend Jon and his entire Yankee Tree staff for your project, big or small. Thank you Yankee Tree for your wonderful service.

J. Dimmock, Superintendent, East Neck Cemetery Society

Jon and his team provide excellent tree and yard advice with the ability to professionally execute their well thought out plans. A first class arborist that keeps the grounds looking excellent year round for over a decade. My highest recommendation!

B.K.

I have been using arborists to maintain the trees on my property for many years. The experience in years before having Yankee Tree do the work was always an angst filled time. Since Yankee Tree has been caring for my trees, I have had nothing but satisfaction for what has transpired. The workmanship of the crew and the care of my property while doing the work is exceptional. When the project is completed one would never know all of that large equipment had been on the land. I no longer suffer angst when “the tree men” arrive. I highly recommend Yankee Tree.

Gail H.

Meet The Crew

Without the individuals that make up the Yankee Tree Team, we wouldn't be the company we are today!

Everything we do happens because we are a group of talented, qualified, and conscientious people working collaboratively and safely to execute the tasks at hand.  As a team, we attend at least two training and educational seminars per year.  We love talking about trees, asking questions and learning new facts and skills.  Working on your trees is not only our profession, it’s our passion!

Ready to Get Started?

Contact us to see how we can help with your next tree service!