Salem, OR Invasive Plant Rules: Tree-of-Heaven Removal (2026)
Key Facts
- Species named
- Ailanthus altissima (Tree of heaven)
- Status
- Excluded from "significant tree" definition
- Size threshold otherwise
- 30 inch dbh for other species
- Riparian removal
- Exempt from permit under 808.030(a)(2)(F)
- Governing chapter
- SRC Chapter 808
Summary
Salem's tree code names Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) as one of four species specifically excluded from "significant tree" status no matter how large it grows, and the removal-permit rules separately exempt clearing invasive non-native vegetation from riparian corridors.
Significant tree means: ...(c)Any other tree with a dbh of 30 inches or greater, but excluding:(1)Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima);(2)Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa);(3)Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa); and(4)Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). ... Invasive non-native vegetation means plant species that are not indigenous to Oregon and which, due to aggressive growth patterns and lack of natural enemies spread rapidly into native plant communities, and which are designated as invasive, non-native vegetation in the tree and vegetation technical manual.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
005 defines a "significant tree" as any tree with a dbh of 30 inches or greater, but the definition carves out four species by name: Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa), Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), and Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). 015 removal prohibition that otherwise protects large trees, and a property owner does not need a tree and vegetation removal permit, a conservation plan, or a variance to take one down. 005 as plant species not indigenous to Oregon that spread aggressively into native plant communities and are designated as such in the City's Tree and Vegetation Technical Manual, the document the Council adopts to maintain the official invasive-species list. 030(a)(2)(F) expressly exempts its removal from the permit requirement that otherwise governs riparian-corridor vegetation clearing.
Violations & Fines
Because Tree of heaven is excluded from the significant-tree definition, removing one does not expose the property owner to the SRC 808.065 replanting, restoration-fund, or stop-work enforcement that applies to protected trees; those remedies attach only to removal of significant trees, riparian trees, or heritage trees taken without the required permit, plan, or variance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a City permit to remove a Tree of heaven in Salem?
Does Salem's code call Tree of heaven an invasive species?
Can I clear Tree of heaven growing in a riparian corridor in Salem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salem
Compare Salem to another location·View the Oregon invasive plant rules overview
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