Beaufort County, SC Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Beaufort County's heritage-tree analog is the "grand tree" defined in Community Development Code § 5.11.100.F.1.a: "A grand tree is an exceptionally large tree for its species that is healthy and worthy of protection. It represents an individual tree that contributes aesthetically to the region's visual 'sense of place' and serves as a seed stock for future generations." The section sets size criteria by species: a Live Oak, Black Walnut, or Longleaf Pine qualifies at 24 inches DBH or greater; a Loblolly Pine, Slash Pine, or Shortleaf Pine qualifies at 36 inches DBH or greater; and any other species not otherwise defined qualifies at 30 inches DBH or greater, excluding species on the invasive list of Table 5.11.100.C.

Unlike ordinary trees on a developed single-family lot, which an owner may remove without a permit once construction is more than five years old, grand trees stay protected indefinitely: § 5.11.100.F.1.a requires a tree removal permit under § 7.2.50 to remove a grand tree whether the house was finished last year or decades ago. The county will only issue that permit if a certified arborist determines the grand tree "is dead, diseased, hollow, or has another condition that poses a hazard to people or structures on the lot or adjoining lot," and any tree removed under that finding must be replaced with a 2.5-inch minimum caliper tree of the same or an arborist-recommended species.