Tree Protection in Portland, ME (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Portland, Maine, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Portland's Heritage Tree Protection Ordinance bars removing a Heritage Tree, a privately owned tree in a designated historic district meeting size, species or Big Tree List criteria, without a permit from the City Arborist. The rule covers every qualifying tree citywide, not just street trees, and pairs removal with mandatory replacement or a Tree Trust payment.
Portland Heritage Tree Protection Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 29-5 (Ch. 29 Vegetation, Art. I Heritage Tree Protection Ordinance, Ord. No. 26-20/21, eff. 8-3-2020)
No person, directly or indirectly, shall remove any Heritage Tree on any private property within a Historic District without first obtaining a tree removal permit as provided in this article, unless specifically exempted by this ordinance.
Protected Tree Species
Portland's Heritage Tree Ordinance names the exact species and trunk-diameter thresholds that trigger protection: named shade trees at 24 inches DBH, ornamentals at 12 inches DBH, and specific rare native stands, all within a designated historic district on private land.
Portland Protected Heritage Tree Species List
Some RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 29-3 (Ch. 29 Vegetation, Art. I Heritage Tree Protection Ordinance, Ord. No. 26-20/21, eff. 8-3-2020)
2. Certain trees 24 inches in diameter or greater (diameter at breast height or DBH): Oak species including White Oak, Red Oak, Pin Oak, Swamp White Oak, and Burr Oak; Sugar Maple and Red Maple; Shagbark Hickory; Ginkgo; Tulip Poplar; Cucumber Magnolia; Elm; Birch species; Hemlock; Pine; Spruce; Horse Chestnut; Walnut; Catalpa; Black Cherry; Linden; Sweetgum; European Beech; Honey Locust; and S...
Parkway Planting
Portland's Land Use Code requires every development subject to site plan review to plant one street tree for every 25 to 35 linear feet of frontage along a city right-of-way or private roadway, per the Technical Manual's landscaping standards. The review authority may approve an alternative only where site constraints genuinely block planting in the right-of-way. Removing an existing heritage or feature-mature street tree triggers a mandatory Tree Fund payment set above ordinary replacement cost.
Portland Street Tree Planting Standards
Some RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 13.6.2(B)(5) (Land Use Code, eff. 7/1/2026)
5. Street trees a. All development shall include one street tree per 25-35 linear feet of frontage along a city right-of-way or private roadway as specified in the landscaping standards of the Technical Manual. The provision of measures to enhance tree survival (such as raised planters, irrigation, and structural soils as recommended by the City Arborist) shall be required. b. Where the applica...