Wellington, FL Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Section 7.7.5 of Wellington's Land Development Regulations created the Wellington Tree Fund to sustain the village's tree canopy. The fund collects money from property owners who remove trees, including for development, when they either face physical site constraints or choose not to provide on-site replacement; Wellington staff review the fund's fees every three years and can recommend an increase to the Village Council. Specimen trees are defined in Article 3 of the code and listed by common name, scientific name, and minimum trunk diameter and circumference in Table 7.7-1, covering species such as Live Oak, Bald Cypress, Gumbo Limbo, Southern Red Cedar and Florida Strangler Fig, plus any other species, excluding invasive species and fruit trees, at a 25-inch trunk diameter.

The code states that incorporating an existing specimen tree into a project's design is preferred over any of the section's mitigation options. Removing a specimen tree instead requires one replacement specimen tree, two non-specimen trees, or five palms; on qualifying single-family lots the PZB director can approve a payment in lieu of $100.00 per tree to the Tree Fund, while other lots can buy up to 25 percent of their required mitigation trees at $600.00 per tree, subject to Tree Board authorization above that share for site-constrained lots.