Pawtucket, RI Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

' The Pawtucket Parks Commission holds jurisdiction over all forestry functions on city property, including planting, care and removal of trees on the properties for which it is responsible, and the City Forester, appointed by the Commission and confirmed by the City Council, carries out day-to-day enforcement. Section 371-11 requires anyone who wants to plant a tree on a public street or public place to first obtain a permit from the City Forester; the permit is granted to a fixed expiration date and must weigh species, location, size and public safety.

If someone other than the City Forester or an agent does the planting, the method and workmanship the City Forester prescribes still governs. Any project planting more than six trees on public streets or places needs a written plan in duplicate submitted to the City Forester, who keeps one copy on file and returns the other, and the City Forester must consult the Parks Commission before issuing that permit. The plan must show the site or street width to scale with curbs, driveways and sidewalks, the location of each proposed and existing tree, and the species of each tree, either on the plan or in a keyed list. A minimum caliper of two inches at five feet above grade defines a qualifying TREE under § 371-5.