Effingham County, GA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Sec. 30-442 of the county tree ordinance (Ord. No. 2026-023, adopted March 3, 2026) requires a permit for removal of any protected, specimen, landmark, or champion tree, and separately for removal tied to development activity under Sec. 30-431(d) or land disturbance. Applications, per Sec. 30-443, must include a completed form, owner contact information, and a tree protection plan showing property boundaries, existing and proposed structures, utilities, and every tree at issue by species, DBH, and condition; a tree protection assessment covering at least five percent of the site can substitute for a tree-by-tree inventory if the county accepts it, and the plan must be prepared by an ISA- or ASCA-certified arborist or a licensed landscape architect registered with the county.

The plan must be filed no later than the land disturbance activity application. Sec. 30-445 gives the county manager or designee 30 days to review the application, basing the decision on tree health, size, species, site conditions, and compliance with the county's canopy standards. Sec. 30-444 exempts hazard trees, storm damage, and routine utility vegetation management from the permit requirement. Where removal is approved, mitigation follows the ratios in Sec. 30-429: 1:1.5 caliper inches for an ordinary protected tree and 1:3 for a specimen, landmark, or champion tree, satisfied through on-site replanting, off-site planting, or payment into the tree fund under Sec.

30-456. Commercial tree removal contractors also need a county tree service license under Sec. 30-441, on top of any state or local business license, with proof of ISA certification.