Tehama County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Tehama County has not adopted a countywide tree-removal or oak-protection ordinance for private land. The 2009–2029 General Plan addresses oak woodlands almost entirely through voluntary and encouragement-based policies: Goal OS-5 and Policy OS-5.2 direct the County to 'encourage the voluntary protection of woodlands,' and Implementation Measure OS-5.2c states only that the County 'shall explore the feasibility of an Oak Woodlands Ordinance' — confirming that no mandatory oak-removal permit was in place when the plan was adopted. The County instead prepared a Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan (2005). General Plan guidance such as Measure OS-4.3a encourages landowners harvesting oaks for fuel or range improvement to maintain an average leaf canopy of at least 30 percent, and Measure LU-1.4f asks staff to help applicants retain mature oaks where possible — but these are not removal-permit requirements for a typical homeowner. Where removal is part of a discretionary development application, it may be reviewed under the County's zoning and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process, and removal involving earthwork can require a grading permit. State law (PRC 4291) can, conversely, require removal of certain hazardous trees or fuel within defensible space. For most private parcels, removing your own trees needs no county tree permit.