West Jordan, UT Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Section 13-18-15 directs the West Jordan City Urban Forestry Division, working with the Parks Department, to maintain a list of rare or historic trees growing in the city, chosen for being unique from a historical or botanical perspective and of possible interest to other citizens. Recognized trees appear on the published Heritage Tree List of West Jordan, and any citizen may nominate a public or private tree for recognition, provided the nominee is a woody plant generally referred to as a tree; the city makes a separate list of registry standards available for the nomination process.

The chapter, enacted by Ordinance 18-05 on January 24, 2018, pairs this with a companion Big Tree Registry under section 13-18-16, where the city's Forestry Division coordinates with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to search for and record large trees in West Jordan. Neither registry section attaches its own removal permit or protection requirement to a listed tree; instead, protection for public trees continues to run through the general written-consent and appraisal rules of sections 13-18-5 and 13-18-9, while a heritage-listed tree on private property stays outside chapter 18's reach unless it becomes a public nuisance or hazard under section 13-18-12.