Tree Protection in Nashville, TN (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Nashville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Metro Nashville designates heritage trees by trunk diameter thresholds, 24 inches for oak, maple and poplar, down to 8 inches for dogwood and holly, or registration in the historic/specimen tree program, and protects them with a mandatory construction buffer zone.
Nashville Heritage Tree Designation Rules
Significant RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.28.065
A heritage tree is any tree that meets the one or more of the following criteria:i.Any tree with a DBH that meets or exceeds the following sizes: TREE TYPE DBH EXAMPLES but not limited to: Deciduous Canopy 24" Oak, Maple, Poplar, Planetree, Ginko Evergreen Tall 10" Am Holly, So. Magnolia, Pine, Spruce, Cedar Deciduous Understory 8" Redbud, Dogwood, Flowering Cherry, Jap. Magnolia, Jap. Mapl...
Protected Tree Species
Metro requires residential subdivisions and multifamily projects on land with a designated Cedar Glade environment to make reasonable efforts to preserve it, using the conservation development option in Title 17.
Cedar Glade Plant Community Protection in Nashville
Light RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.28.060
A residential subdivision or multifamily development proposed on land containing a designated Cedar Glade environment shall make all reasonable effort to preserve that environment through the use of conservation development afforded by this title.
Parkway Planting
Where Metro has adopted a street tree and streetscape plan for an area, new development must plant right-of-way trees per the Metro Nashville Street Tree Specifications, and the property owner records a covenant to maintain them.
Nashville Street Tree Planting Rules
Some RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.24.075
Upon creation of a plan for street trees and streetscape for a specific geographic area within Davidson County, the metropolitan planning commission shall adopt the plan. ... Trees shall be installed according to the provisions of the Metro Nashville Street Tree Specifications prepared and maintained by Metro Water Services in conjunction with Metro Public Works, Planning and Codes.