Ridgewood, NJ Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Village Code Ch. 260, Ord. No. 4043 (2025)
- Protected size
- DBH 8 inches or greater
- Permitting office
- Division of Engineering, DPW
- Minimum fine
- $500 per offense
- Exemptions
- 9 categories under Sec. 260-8
Summary
The Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey has no separate landmark or heritage-tree label. Instead, Village Code Chapter 260 protects every non-invasive "qualified tree" of eight inches DBH or greater on private land, requiring a permit before it can be cut down.
QUALIFIED TREE Any non-invasive species tree with a diameter measured at breast height (DBH) of eight inches or greater, on any lands within the Village of Ridgewood. ... § 260-4. Cutting or removal of a tree. A. No person, property owner, hired firm, or other entity shall cause to be cut or removed any existing qualified tree, with a diameter at breast height (DBH) eight inches or greater, upon any private lands within the Village of Ridgewood, without a permit issued by the Village of Ridgewood in accordance with § 260-7. Exemptions to this requirement are set forth in § 260-8.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 260, Tree Protection, Removal, and Replacement, readopted 4-9-2025 by Ord. No. 4043, defines a QUALIFIED TREE as any non-invasive species tree with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of eight inches or greater on any land within the Village of Ridgewood (Sec. 260-2). Section 260-4A makes it unlawful for a person, property owner, hired firm, or other entity to cause a qualified tree to be cut down or removed on private land without a permit issued under Section 260-7, and Section 260-4B extends a parallel rule to public-land trees.
The stated purpose, per Section 260-1, is to preserve the Village's tree canopy, control stormwater runoff and erosion, and mitigate air pollution and heat while still allowing owners to appropriately remove trees. Nine categories of trees are exempt from the permit requirement under Section 260-8, including trees that are dead, dying, diseased, storm-damaged, hazardous to structures, blocking utility lines or sight lines at intersections, or that are themselves an invasive species; an exemption request must still be filed and verified by a licensed tree expert and the Village Arborist before work begins, except in an emergency.
5 feet above ground, calculated from the trunk's circumference divided by pi, with the largest trunk governing on multi-trunk trees (Sec. 260-2). Removing a protected tree without a permit still triggers the chapter's replacement-tree mandate and enforcement under Section 260-11, on top of any fine for the unpermitted cutting itself.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement falls to the Director of Public Works, the Director of Parks and Recreation, the Village Arborist, or another Village Manager designee, who may issue a municipal summons for any violation of Chapter 260 (Sec. 260-11A). Upon conviction, the fine for each offense is not less than $500, and the court may also order the responsible party to plant a replacement tree at their own cost (Sec. 260-11C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ridgewood designate individual "heritage" or "landmark" trees?
Can I cut down a large tree on my own Ridgewood property?
What trees are exempt from Ridgewood's tree permit?
What is the penalty for removing a protected tree without a permit in Ridgewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
Compare Ridgewood to another location·View the New Jersey tree protection overview
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