Bethlehem, PA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Bethlehem's approach to native-plant landscaping is voluntary and education-based rather than mandatory. The Bureau of Urban Forestry within the Department of Public Works publishes an approved street-tree list (https://www.bethlehem-pa.gov/CityOfBethlehem/media/PWMedia/Urban%20Forestry/COBTreeList.pdf) emphasizing species suited to urban conditions in the Lehigh Valley — oaks, maples, hackberry, serviceberry, ginkgo (male only), and disease-resistant elm cultivars — many of which are native or proven non-invasive. Native-plant resources for Bethlehem homeowners include the PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry native-plant program, the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Lehigh County and of Northampton County (offering free yard consultations and demonstration gardens), and the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. Pennsylvania law does not impose a statewide native-plant mandate on residential property. The Pennsylvania Right to Farm Act (3 P.S. §951-957) provides nuisance protection for established agricultural operations against complaints raised more than one year after the operation began. Bethlehem's Article 1161.07 high-grass-and-noxious-weeds enforcement still applies to neglected lots, but the definition expressly excludes 'cultivated flowers and gardens,' which provides a clear pathway for maintained native-pollinator or meadow plantings. Bethlehem is a 30+-year Tree City USA community recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation, USDA Forest Service, and National Association of State Foresters.