Dallas County, TX Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Dallas County, Texas does not designate or protect heritage trees at the county level on private property in unincorporated areas. Texas county governments generally lack the statutory authority to enact heritage tree ordinances on private land outside subdivision plat approval. Heritage tree protection in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is handled by individual cities: the City of Dallas protects trees 30 inches DBH (diameter at breast height) and larger as 'historic' or 'significant' under Article X of its Development Code, requiring heightened mitigation if removal is authorized. Plano, Richardson, Frisco, and other municipalities in the county use similar DBH thresholds (often 24 to 30 inches) to trigger enhanced protection. Texas Property Code 202.007, enacted in 2013, restricts HOAs from prohibiting homeowners from removing trees that pose a health, safety, or structural hazard, but it does not create affirmative heritage tree protection. The Texas A&M Forest Service maintains a list of state Famous Trees (notable live oaks, pecans, and cypresses with historical significance) but this is an honorary designation without regulatory weight. If you suspect a tree on your unincorporated Dallas County property may be a Famous Tree or has historical significance, contact the Texas A&M Forest Service Urban Forestry office in Arlington for evaluation and voluntary stewardship guidance.