Hanover County, VA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected categories
- Heritage, specimen, memorial, street trees (Sec. 22.5-2)
- Trigger for protection
- Individual board designation by ordinance (Sec. 22.5-3)
- Excluded activity
- Silviculture, horticulture, home gardening (Sec. 22.5-1, 22.5-5)
- Applies outside
- Ashland (chapter applies countywide to designated trees)
Summary
Hanover County's tree preservation chapter protects only trees the Board of Supervisors has individually designated as heritage, specimen, memorial or street trees, not any tree species generally. Ordinary residential landscaping, silviculture and horticulture stay outside the chapter entirely under Sec. 22.5-1, and protection attaches only once the board designates a specific named tree.
This chapter regulates preservation and removal of heritage, specimen, memorial and street trees, as defined in section 22.5-2, when such preservation and removal are not commercial silvicultural or horticultural activities, including but not limited to planting, managing, or harvesting forest or tree crops. ... Heritage tree means any tree which has been individually designated by the county board of supervisors to have notable historic or cultural interest. Memorial tree means any tree which has been individually designated by the county board of supervisors to be a special commemorating memorial. Specimen tree means any tree which has been individually designated by the county board of supervisors to be notable by virtue of its outstanding size and quality for its particular species. Street tree means any tree which has been individually designated by the county board of supervisors and which grows in the street right-of-way or on private property as authorized by the owner and placed or planted there by the county.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5 to the preservation and removal of heritage, specimen, memorial and street trees as defined in Sec. 5-2, and expressly excludes commercial silvicultural or horticultural activity, including planting, managing or harvesting forest or tree crops, from its reach. Sec. 5-2 defines the four designation categories: a heritage tree is one designated by the board for notable historic or cultural interest; a memorial tree is one designated as a special commemorating memorial; a specimen tree is one designated as notable for its outstanding size and quality for its species; and a street tree is one designated that grows in the street right-of-way or, with the owner's authorization, on private property where the county placed or planted it.
None of these categories protects a tree automatically; Sec. 5-3 requires the designation itself to come from an arborist or urban forester and be adopted by the board through an ordinance, with the affected property owner notified by certified mail before the hearing. Sec. 5-5 further excludes federal or state property, emergency work, routine utility line maintenance, and minor activities like home gardening and landscaping from the chapter's reach even where a designated tree is nearby.
Violations & Fines
The categories themselves carry no penalty until a tree is designated; once designated, unauthorized removal, relocation or alteration is punishable under Sec. 22.5-7 by a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation, with the procedure set by the planning director and the chapter also enforceable by injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hanover County automatically protect large or old trees?
What are the four tree categories Hanover County can designate?
Does this chapter cover my backyard trees and landscaping?
Who decides which trees get designated in Hanover County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
Compare Hanover County to another location·View the Virginia tree protection overview
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