Warwick, RI Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Warwick, RI, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 78-5(a), Tree Ordinance
- Permit required
- Before cutting/removing during construction
- Replacement caliper
- Must equal or exceed removed
- Replacement stock
- 2.5 to 6 inch caliper
- Nearby tree fencing
- 30 ft radius, 4 ft high barrier
- Administered by
- Tree warden, appeals to tree commission
- Penalty
- Fine at value of trees removed (§ 78-12)
Summary
Warwick bars cutting, damaging or removing trees during development, redevelopment, razing or renovation unless the owner first gets a permit, and it requires replacing every removed tree with new trees whose combined caliper matches what came down, under Code of Ordinances § 78-5(a).
(a)During development, redevelopment, razing or renovating no trees shall be cut, damaged or removed except by specified permit. All trees removed, destroyed or severely damaged shall be replaced at the expense of the permittee. The total caliper of all trees planted in the course of restoration shall in no event be less than the total caliper of all trees removed. Replacement shall be made with 2½- to six-inch caliper trees and/or as directed by the tree warden. If sufficient tree planting locations are unavailable within the contract area, the replacement trees shall be planted within one-quarter mile of the contract area as determined by the tree warden, except by special permit of the tree warden.
Full Breakdown
Section 78-5(a) of the Warwick Tree Ordinance requires anyone undertaking development, redevelopment, razing or renovation to obtain a permit before cutting, damaging or removing any tree; that duty falls on 'the permittee,' tying the tree-protection requirement directly to the construction permit already in hand for the project. Replacement is mandatory and specific: every tree removed, destroyed or severely damaged must be replaced at the permittee's expense, and the total caliper (trunk diameter) of the new trees planted can never be less than the total caliper of what was taken down.
Replacement stock must run 2½ to six inches in caliper, or another size the tree warden directs, and if there isn't enough room on the construction site to plant the replacements, the tree warden can require them planted within a quarter mile of the site instead, unless the tree warden issues a special permit excusing that. The same section separately protects trees that survive nearby construction: § 78-5(b) requires any tree within 30 feet of an excavation or building or street project be fenced off for the length of the job with a barrier at least four feet high and eight feet square, keeping equipment, materials, chemicals and debris outside it.
The tree warden, appointed by the city tree commission and required to have passed the state arborist exam, administers both the removal permit and the construction fencing requirement, and adjustments or appeals of the warden's decisions go to the tree commission under § 78-11(b).
Violations & Fines
Violating chapter 78's tree protections, including removing a tree during development without a permit or failing to fence a protected tree during construction, is punishable under § 78-12 by court action and a fine set at the value of the trees removed or damaged, on top of the fine schedule in § 1-4. The violator must also replace the tree or repair the damage with a size and species the tree warden approves, each affected tree counts as a separate violation, and the city can withhold a final building inspection until the violation is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my property in Warwick?
How many trees do I have to plant to replace ones I remove?
What if there's no room on my lot to plant the replacement trees?
Do I have to protect trees near my construction site even if I'm not removing them?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Warwick
Compare Warwick to another location·View the Rhode Island landscaping rules overview
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