Heritage / landmark tree designations in Oakland County exist only at the municipal level. Bloomfield Township defines a Landmark Tree as any tree 24 inches DBH or greater, plus any species/diameter combination listed in §42-2.86(I). Bloomfield Hills (Ch. 22) uses the same 24-inch DBH landmark threshold. Removal of a landmark tree requires a permit and triggers a 100% DBH replacement ratio (vs. 50% for ordinary protected trees).
Under Bloomfield Township Ordinance 608 (Tree Preservation), landmark trees must be replaced at 100% of total DBH removed — for example, removing a single 30-inch landmark oak requires replacement trees totaling 30 inches of caliper. Other protected trees (8 in DBH or greater, non-landmark) must be replaced at 50% of total DBH. Bloomfield Hills' Woodlands Preservation amendment (Ord. 449, 2012) similarly distinguishes 'removable' from 'landmark' trees and imposes higher mitigation for landmarks. Farmington Hills considers trees 24 in DBH or greater as 'landmark' trees subject to enhanced replacement under Ch. 31. Charter Township of Oakland (Ch. 389) does not use the term 'landmark' but requires replacement of every tree 6 in DBH or greater that is removed by a permit grantee.
Cutting a landmark/heritage tree without a permit in Bloomfield Township triggers an after-the-fact application fee ($455 single-family; $300 multi-family/commercial), plus mandatory 100% DBH replacement and Township consultant fees. Repeated or willful destruction of landmark trees has supported civil-infraction prosecutions in 6th Circuit Court (Oakland County).
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