Cambridge, MA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Exceptional Tree threshold
- 30 inches DBH or larger
- Significant Tree threshold
- 6 inches DBH or larger
- Mitigation multiplier
- 1.5x rate for Exceptional Trees
- Permit authority
- City Arborist
- Max daily fine
- $300 per day
- Governing chapter
- Cambridge Municipal Code Ch. 8.66
Summary
Cambridge's Tree Protection Ordinance singles out 'Exceptional Trees,' meaning any protected tree thirty inches or more in trunk diameter, for extra-strength safeguards. Removing one costs 1.5 times the standard mitigation payment charged for an ordinary Significant Tree, on top of the City Arborist permit every removal already requires.
Except as provided in Section 8.66.070, the following Mitigation Requirements shall apply when Significant Trees are removed from a Lot: The Mitigation Payment for Significant Trees shall be estimated, on a DBH basis, in accordance with the City of Cambridge's most recent tree planting and maintenance contract inclusive of purchasing, planting, watering and maintaining Replacement Trees for a period of not less than five (5) years. The Mitigation Payment associated with Exceptional Trees shall be estimated on a DBH basis at 1.5 times the value provided in the City of Cambridge's most recent tree planting and maintenance contract inclusive of purchasing, planting, watering and maintaining Replacement Trees for a period of not less than five (5) years. A 10% Mitigation Payment shall apply for Owners who qualify for the City of Cambridge residential real estate property tax exemption. No Mitigation Payment shall apply to property owners that receive established forms of financial assistance.
Full Breakdown
66, the Tree Protection Ordinance re-enacted by Ord. No. 1405 in 2019 and amended by Ord. No. 030). 030). Exceptional Trees draw a steeper financial penalty when they come down. 5 times that value. A 10% reduced rate applies to owners who qualify for Cambridge's residential real estate property tax exemption, and owners receiving established forms of financial assistance owe no Mitigation Payment at all. 050, with the Arborist keeping a photographic record of the reason for removal, the contractor, and the property owner's name and address. 120.
Violations & Fines
Removing an Exceptional Tree without a City Arborist permit, or without making the 1.5x Mitigation Payment required by § 8.66.080, is a violation of Chapter 8.66. The City Arborist can issue a stop-work order backed by a fine of up to $300 per day for continued work under § 8.66.120, and the City may sue for injunctive relief to force compliance with a Tree Protection or Mitigation Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an 'Exceptional Tree' in Cambridge?
Why does an Exceptional Tree cost more to remove?
Does removing an Exceptional Tree need a special permit beyond the normal tree permit?
What happens if someone cuts down an Exceptional Tree without paying?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cambridge
Compare Cambridge to another location·View the Massachusetts tree protection overview
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Heritage & Protected Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle heritage & protected trees.