Maine state law: heritage and landmark trees

The Maine Revised Statutes do not establish a statewide heritage-tree designation, landmark-tree registry, or specimen-tree-protection program comparable to California's Heritage Tree Acts or Florida's specimen-tree statutes. The Maine Forest Service maintains the Maine Big Tree Registry (a non-regulatory list of the largest documented specimens of native and naturalized tree species by trunk circumference, height, and crown spread) under 12 MRS Title 12 — but listing carries no land-use protection. Statewide protection is limited to: (1) the Shoreland Zone vegetation rules of 38 MRS § 439-A (the 75-100 ft buffer constraints), which protect trees by location rather than by species or age; and (2) Forest Service rare-species lists under 12 MRS § 9302 et seq. for species like American chestnut (Castanea dentata) sourced from Maine Endangered & Threatened Species Listings — protecting species statewide regardless of individual specimen status. Any heritage-tree designation, removal-permit requirement for specimen trees, or replacement-tree-replanting mandate on private property is set by individual municipal ordinance under 30-A MRS § 3001 home-rule authority. Portland operates a Tree Ordinance covering street and park trees; smaller towns generally have no heritage-tree code.

No state heritage-tree penalty. Damage to a tree on another's property is actionable under 14 MRS § 7552 with treble damages. Shoreland-zone violations carry DEP/CEO penalties up to $25,000 per day. Municipal heritage-tree ordinance violations typically carry $250-$5,000 fines plus replacement-planting requirements.