Street trees in the Buffalo public right-of-way are managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation Bureau of Forestry. Private pruning or removal of street trees is prohibited without a permit. Property owners may prune their own trees freely.
The City of Buffalo owns and maintains all street trees in the tree lawn between sidewalk and curb and in city parks, under Chapter 413 of the City Code. Residents must request pruning or removal of street trees through the Bureau of Forestry (311). Unauthorized pruning, topping, or damage to a city tree is a civil violation, and the city can assess replacement value based on the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers formula (often thousands of dollars per mature tree). Trees entirely on private property may be pruned by the owner at will, subject to property-line and neighbor rules. Buffalo historic Olmsted parkway trees (Bidwell, Chapin, Lincoln, Richmond) receive additional protection.
Unauthorized trimming or damage to city trees: fines up to 250 dollars plus tree-valuation damages (often 1,000-10,000 dollars per tree for mature specimens).
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See how Buffalo's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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