Tree Protection in Florida (2026)

Melbourne bans cutting, removing, relocating, or damaging any 'grand tree,' defined as an oak, pine, or cypress with a…

Orlando's Parks Official can officially designate outstanding or aged trees as Specimen or Historic Trees, protecting…

Broward County's Board of County Commissioners designates historical trees under Code § 27-412, and § 27-405 bans…

Cocoa's zoning code singles out 'specimen trees' (hardwoods 24 inches or more in trunk diameter) and public oak trees…

Coral Gables can deny a specimen tree removal permit outright if the tree holds community heritage value or stands on a…

Dade City's Land Development Regulations single out champion and heritage trees for the strongest protection in the…

The Town of Davie designates large native and non-native trees 18 inches or more in trunk diameter as protected…

Daytona Beach protects live oaks and bald cypress 36 inches or more in diameter as historic trees, requiring them to…

Historic trees in Deltona can only be removed with a tree permit granted directly by the city commission, a higher bar…

Flagler County's Land Development Code singles out its largest trees for extra protection: a 'historic tree' is any…

Gulfport designates certain trees as 'specimen' or 'historic' by resolution, and a tree carrying that designation can…

Hillsborough County's Land Development Code requires developers to preserve any oak 34 inches or more in trunk…

Any tree in Homestead with a trunk 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height is a protected 'specimen tree.'…

Jacksonville's zoning code singles out large hardwoods 24 inches DBH or greater as "exceptional specimen trees,"…

Jupiter's town council can formally designate an individual tree as historic or specimen, and once designated it cannot…

Kissimmee's city arborist may designate specimen or historic trees, typically 30 inches DBH or larger, for protection…

Miami singles out "specimen trees", 18 inches DBH or larger, for extra protection: the city can require project…

Any tree with a trunk diameter of 18 inches or more counts as a protected 'specimen tree' under Miami-Dade County's…

Unincorporated Amelia Island's Land Development Code singles out large live oaks, forty inches or more in trunk…

North Port designates heritage trees by species-specific point thresholds -- 80 points for live oaks, magnolias…

Orange County names two species as heritage trees at large diameters: Live Oak at 40 inches DBH and Southern Magnolia…

Unincorporated Palm Beach County bans removing any specimen tree listed in Appendix 7 unless it's preserved in place…

Pembroke Pines gives extra protection to 'specimen trees,' any tree 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height…

Trees rated "Excellent" under the county's grading system, including those with historical significance or rare…

Pompano Beach designates a tree historical if it sits on a historically significant site, ties to a historic event…

Port Orange classifies any Live Oak or Bald Cypress 36 inches or larger in trunk diameter, or any other tree of that…

City of Sarasota bans removing 'grand trees', large, healthy Live Oaks, Sand Live Oaks, Slash Pines, Longleaf Pines…

Any patriarch tree in Tallahassee, defined as a state-designated patriarch or champion tree or an exceptional shade…

Tampa's urban forestry code recognizes 'grand' trees, twenty-three native and non-native species listed in Table…

Titusville designates trees 46 inches or larger in diameter at breast height as heritage trees under the Land…

Volusia County will not let anyone cut down, move, or destroy a historic tree in the unincorporated county without a…

West Palm Beach designates individual trees as historic or specimen trees under Sec. 94-448(c), triggering extra…

Winter Haven singles out large live oaks for extra protection: any live oak measuring thirty-four inches DBH or more is…

Alachua County's ULDC defines a heritage tree as any native species 20 inches dbh or larger (30 inches for laurel or…

Bay County protects historic, specimen, champion, and heritage trees, all oaks of 30-inch trunk diameter. Historic and…

Boca Raton designates individual trees as specimen or historic trees by city council ordinance, based on age, type…

Brevard County designates large, rare, or historically significant trees as protected "specimen trees", hardwoods 24…

Cape Coral defines a Heritage Tree as any Florida native canopy tree with a 20-inch caliper DBH or larger. On any…

Charlotte County protects specimen and larger trees through its land development regulations on development and…

Trees measuring more than 24 inches in diameter at breast height are designated 'Specimen Trees' under Citrus County's…

Escambia County protects trees 12 inches or greater in trunk diameter countywide, but a tree 60 inches DBH or larger is…

Fort Myers requires developers to make every reasonable effort to preserve heritage trees, native species like Live Oak…

Gainesville's land development code singles out heritage trees, generally those over 20 inches in diameter, for…

Hernando County protects specimen and larger trees through its land development regulations on development and…

Indian River County protects specimen trees by size and species through its Chapter 927 land clearing code on…

Lee County rewards developers for saving big trees instead of clearing them: under LDC § 10-416(a)(4), a preserved…

Leon County designates the live oak as its official shade tree, the dogwood as its official flowering tree, and the…

Miramar's Land Development Code recognizes two heritage categories: historic trees, formally designated in the city's…

New Port Richey can designate specimen or historic trees as protected based on age, size, or historic value, and once…

Okaloosa County's Land Development Code sorts every protected tree into three size classes at LDC § 6.05.033: Type A…

Fort Myers prohibits planting or installing any Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Category 1 invasive species and…

Broward County protects any tree with an 18-inch trunk diameter and a 60% condition rating as a specimen tree…

Within the Branan Field Corridor and Greater Lake Asbury District, Clay County bans cutting, removing, damaging, or…

Coral Gables' tree code protects any tree with an 18-inch-or-greater trunk diameter as a "specimen tree," but carves…

Daytona Beach's Land Development Code protects two tiers of trees: specimen trees (12+ inch DBH) and historic trees…

Escambia County bars development that threatens threatened or endangered species habitat unless the applicant first…

Gainesville singles out "heritage" and "champion" trees for its strictest protection. A tree over 20 inches diameter…

Unincorporated Highlands County requires an Environmental Clearance Report before any land clearing on a site that…

Mangrove trees anywhere in Homestead, and any tree growing on land that meets Miami-Dade County's definition of…

If a vegetation removal permit review turns up a state- or federally-listed threatened, endangered or special-concern…

Any tree with a trunk four inches or more in diameter at breast height is a 'protected tree' under Kissimmee's code…

Lake County's Land Development Regulations protect four categories of trees from removal: any Florida-native or Florida…

Unincorporated Lee County protects only the tree species named in the Land Development Code's Appendix E; those trees…

Martin County's Land Development Regulations protect native hardwood trees eight inches DBH or larger, and pine or…

Melbourne protects 'grand trees,' meaning cypress, oak or pine species with a 30-inch or greater trunk diameter, under…

Miami-Dade County requires a DERM permit before anyone trims, cuts, or alters a mangrove tree anywhere in the county…

Palm Bay protects red, white, black, and buttonwood mangroves along the Indian River Lagoon; removal or trimming needs…

Unincorporated Palm Beach County prohibits removing any specimen tree listed in Appendix 7 unless it can't be…

Almost any tree 4.5 inches DBH or larger, plus listed palms and mangroves, counts as a City of Sarasota 'protected…

Sarasota County designates exceptional trees as "Grand Trees" using a point system tied to species, trunk diameter…

St. Johns County's Land Development Code protects any tree of 8 inches or more in diameter at breast height, and drops…

Tallahassee names the live oak its official shade tree and the dogwood its official flowering tree, then protects…

Tampa classifies trees by trunk diameter: any non-exempt species 5+ inches DBH is 'protected,' 24+ inches is a…

Alachua County singles out specimen trees, species the county rates as notable for age, size, condition, historic…

Boca Raton singles out mangrove trees, red, white and black, for special protection because they anchor the coastal…

Brevard County protects hardwoods 10+ inches dbh, pines 14+ inches dbh, and specimen trees 24+ inches dbh from removal…

Citrus County's Land Development Code bars destroying endangered, threatened, or special-concern species habitat during…

Doral protects any tree with a trunk 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height as a 'specimen tree,' with narrow…

Flagler County's Land Development Code names 24 native tree species, from live oak and southern magnolia to bald…

Gulfport bans planting fourteen named invasive species, including Australian pine, Brazilian pepper and melaleuca, and…

Jacksonville exempts most pines and palms from tree protection but shields Live Oaks with extra-strict mitigation…

Miami classifies any tree 18 inches DBH or larger as a protected "specimen tree," forcing applicants to try redesigning…

Miami Beach protects its most valuable trees through a heritage tree designation made by the environment and…

Miramar's Land Development Code protects more than just large trees: Section 506.14.3 extends permit protection to…

Unincorporated Amelia Island's tree ordinance protects trees by size and health, not by a fixed species list: any…

North Port's land development code requires developers to follow federal and state wildlife-agency guidance for the…

Okaloosa County requires one preserved tree for every 4,300 square feet of impervious surface on a site holding…

Orange County gives seven native tree species, including live oak, southern magnolia, and bald cypress, extra…

Pembroke Pines protects any tree with an 18-inch or greater diameter at breast height as a "specimen tree" under Code…

Trees with a trunk 4+ inches DBH, palms 6+ feet tall, and homestead-exempt residential trees over 24 inches DBH are…

Pompano Beach protects trees by size and species rather than a blanket list: any tree with a trunk diameter of 18…

Larger development projects in Port Orange must survey for state- and federally-listed plant and animal species before…

St. Petersburg's land development code sorts regulated trees into size classes at City Code § 16.90.020.3: a Protected…

Titusville's Land Development Regulations require development to recognize and protect species listed as threatened or…

Volusia County requires developers to protect gopher tortoise burrows during land clearing in the unincorporated area…

Owners on 24 named Fort Myers corridors, from McGregor Boulevard to Colonial Boulevard, must plant assigned street tree…

Property owners in Jacksonville must get a Public Works permit before planting a tree, shrub, or planter in the street…

New development in unincorporated Alachua County must plant street trees along both sides of streets and roads and in…

Boca Raton requires qualifying mixed-use infill developments to plant canopy or shade trees along every street the…

Unincorporated Broward requires any tree planted near power lines to follow the Right Tree, Right Place Guidelines…

Planting a tree or shrub in the parkway strip between the sidewalk and the street in Cape Coral requires a city…

Any Charlotte County development that fronts a public right-of-way must plant a landscaped buffer strip along that…

Citrus County's Land Development Code sets street tree planting standards for any parcel approved as a Town Center Plan…

New development in Coral Gables must plant street trees in the parkway strip on 30-foot centers, at least 15 feet tall…

New development along collector streets and above in Daytona Beach must plant street trees between the curb and…

Doral requires street trees along every roadway at a maximum average spacing of 35 feet on center, planted with at…

Anyone planting landscaping in an unincorporated Flagler County road right-of-way, including a parkway or median strip…

Planting, pruning, or removing a tree, shrub, or vine on a Fort Lauderdale street or in a city park requires a written…

New developments in Gainesville must line every street frontage with trees. LDC Sec. 30-8.5.G requires a street tree…

Planting or removing a tree in a Gulfport right-of-way, public street parkway or other public property requires a…

Inside the Okeechobee Rapid Transit Zone overlay, Hialeah requires street trees along every street at an average…

Unincorporated Highlands County does not require street trees on ordinary residential streets, but any project built…

Hillsborough County requires one street tree per subdivision lot, plus extra trees for wide frontages, planted within…

Hollywood withholds building permits for qualifying new construction and major additions until the plans provide at…

New Homestead development must plant a drought-tolerant, wind-tolerant canopy tree along each side of every roadway…

Within the Common Use Subdistrict of Jupiter's Mixed Use Development District, the neighborhoods built out under the…

Kissimmee requires one canopy street tree every 50 linear feet of the right-of-way landscaping strip on new or…

In unincorporated Lake County's Wellness Way growth area, four regional roadways carry mandatory street-tree and…

New streets in unincorporated Lee County come with a planting bill of specifics: LDC § 10-296(5) requires 75 percent…

New development within Martin County's Planned Mixed-Use Village (PMUV) district, the 3,411-acre form-based code area…

Miami 21 sets minimum size, spacing, and placement rules for street trees planted in the public swale along every…

Miami-Dade requires street trees along roadways at no more than 35 feet apart on center, with a 2-inch caliper, 12-foot…

Miramar's Land Development Code carves out a 30-foot landscape easement along Miramar Parkway between Palm Avenue and…

North Port requires developers to plant street trees along development frontages and private rights-of-way at a set…

New commercial and multi-family development in unincorporated Okaloosa County must landscape a ten-foot-wide strip…

In Orange County's Town Center Framework Streets, canopy street trees must be planted roughly every 40 feet with a…

Orlando lets the owner of property abutting a parkway plant and maintain trees, shrubs, plants, or flowers there under…

New residential developments in Palm Bay must plant canopy street trees every 50 feet in a parkway strip at least 6…

New subdivisions and Planned Development Districts in unincorporated Palm Beach County must plant canopy street trees…

Pembroke Pines requires swale, the parkway strip between sidewalk and street, trees to be canopy species, with the…

Street trees planted in Pompano Beach's right-of-way swales must follow the Zoning Code's landscaping standards, stay…

Port St. Lucie's subdivision code requires shade trees on both sides of every new street, with spacing tied to mature…

Planting a tree, shrub, or other plant besides grass in a City of Sarasota street or alley right-of-way within 50 feet…

Sarasota County lets residents plant Street Trees in the road right-of-way fronting their lots, but a canopy tree must…

Within the Vilano Beach Town Center Overlay District, Section 3.10.05.L.4.h requires street trees to be Cabbage Palms…

Tampa Code Sec. 22-312 bars anyone from planting or removing trees or shrubs in the parkway strip between the sidewalk…

Titusville, Florida requires boulevard streets to have street trees planted at least once every one hundred feet…

Along Lakeshore Drive and Enterprise Osteen Road in unincorporated Volusia County, new development must plant street…

West Palm Beach's streetscape rule sets fixed spacing and size standards for street trees along public rights-of-way…

Nassau County's tree planting program for unincorporated Amelia Island puts publicly held land first, prioritizing new…

Within Port Orange's Planned Community-Agricultural (PC-A) zoning district, street trees can be planted in the public…