Skagit County, WA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

130 lets a landowner remove hazardous, diseased or dead trees and vegetation from a critical area or its buffer only for one of six listed reasons: to control fire, to halt the spread of disease or damaging insects consistent with the State Forest Practice Act, to avoid a landslide or similar hazard, to avoid a threat to existing structures or above-ground utility lines, to avoid a threat to human life or public safety, and only where the hazard cannot be lessened through reasonable arboricultural practices.

070(1) apply; the county must process that consent promptly, and if the Director does not respond within 10 business days the request is conclusively allowed. Removed trees and vegetation should generally be left on site to preserve wildlife habitat unless the Director or a qualified professional, defined as an ISA- or ASCA-certified arborist trained in tree risk assessment, finds removal necessary to stop disease or pest spread. Any tree that is removed must be replaced with three native trees of appropriate size for every one removed, following accepted critical-area restoration standards within one calendar year.