Aurora, CO Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected species
- Ponderosa Pine >4 in. diameter
- Also protected
- Gambel Oak >3 in. diameter
- Where it applies
- Black Forest area only, not citywide
- Who administers it
- City Forester, Parks Forestry Division
- Dead replacement tree deadline
- 6 months after notice, within 3 yrs
Summary
In Aurora's Black Forest area, Ponderosa Pine over 4 inches and Gambel Oak over 3 inches in diameter are protected: removal during development requires a City Forester-approved tree protection plan.
The inventory shall include Ponderosa Pine greater than four inches in diameter and all Gambel Oak plants greater than three inches in diameter... Black Forest trees and associated vegetation shall not be removed from their existing location due to development or construction activity unless avoidance through modifications of proposed development plans and design is not feasible. Tree removal is unlawful unless it is pursuant to an approved tree protection plan.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance singles out two species by name. Within the city's defined Black Forest area, any development activity that disturbs the land must include a tree protection plan inventorying every Ponderosa Pine over four inches in diameter and every Gambel Oak plant over three inches in diameter, and removal of those trees is unlawful except under an approved plan. The plan requires a construction limit line, protection measures, and a conservation escrow tied to the International Society of Arboriculture's tree-appraisal guide. Outside the Black Forest area, tree removal instead falls under the city's general Policy on the Preservation of Existing Trees, administered by the same office (UDO § 146-4.7.7.A): this species-specific rule does not apply citywide.
Violations & Fines
Removing a qualifying Ponderosa Pine or Gambel Oak in the Black Forest area without an approved tree protection plan is unlawful under the UDO; the City can draw on the developer's conservation escrow to fund mitigation, and failing to comply with an approved plan is itself a separate UDO violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this species protection apply anywhere in Aurora?
What if a protected tree dies after construction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado tree protection overview
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