Plymouth County, MA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- County heritage list
- None
- Scenic roads
- MGL c.40 §15C protects
- Covers
- Roadside trees, stone walls
- Consent from
- Planning board hearing
Summary
Plymouth County designates no heritage trees. The strongest state protection is the Scenic Roads Act, MGL c.40 §15C: on a town-designated scenic road, no tree may be cut and no stone wall torn down without planning board consent.
After a road has been designated as a scenic road any repair, maintenance, reconstruction, or paving work done with respect thereto shall not involve or include the cutting or removal of trees, or the tearing down or destruction of stone walls, or portions thereof, except with the prior written consent of the planning board, or if there is no planning board, the selectmen of a town, or the city council of a city, after a public hearing duly advertised twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area...
Full Breakdown
No county heritage-tree list exists, because Plymouth County cannot legislate. The closest Massachusetts equivalent is the Scenic Roads Act. Under MGL chapter 40, section 15C, once town meeting designates a road as a scenic road, any repair or construction work along it may not cut or remove trees or tear down stone walls without the prior written consent of the planning board, given only after an advertised public hearing. Many Plymouth County towns, including Duxbury, Marshfield, and Middleborough, have designated scenic roads that shield their canopy of old roadside trees and the region's characteristic fieldstone walls. Public shade trees everywhere also carry protection under MGL c.87 §3, and towns may adopt their own specimen-tree bylaws.
Violations & Fines
Cutting a tree or removing a stone wall on a designated scenic road without planning board consent violates MGL c.40 §15C and the town's scenic road bylaw, drawing a stop order and restoration or fines set by the municipality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Plymouth County protect heritage trees?
What is protected on a scenic road?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Plymouth County
Compare Plymouth County to another location·View the Massachusetts tree protection overview
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