Prince George's County, MD Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Rare/threatened/endangered species on a TCP site
- Governing section
- County Code § 25-119(d)(2)(B)
- Mandatory notice
- MD DNR within 15 days
- Enforcement fine
- Up to $9.00 per sq. ft. destroyed
- Administered by
- M-NCPPC Planning Dept. plus County
Summary
Prince George's County's Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance forces a mandatory variance review before a development can clear trees, plants, or vegetation on state or national rare, threatened, or endangered species lists. County Code Section 25-119(d)(2)(B) triggers that review, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources gets formal notice of every request.
(1)An applicant may request a variance from this Division as part of the review of a TCP where owing to special features of the site or other circumstances, implementation of this Division would result in unwarranted hardship to an applicant.(2)An applicant shall request a variance from Section 25-122(b)(1)(G) and (H) as part of the review of the TCP when:...(B)Trees, plants, and vegetation identified on the national or state list of rare, threatened, and endangered lists are impacted or removed....(4)Notice of a request for a variance shall be given to the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources within 15 days of receipt of a request for a variance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Division 2 of Subtitle 25, the Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance, requires a Tree Conservation Plan (TCP) for most grading and subdivision activity in the county. " To win that variance, Section 25-119(d)(3) requires the Planning Board, Zoning Hearing Examiner, or District Council to find that special conditions caused the hardship, that granting it will not create a special privilege for the applicant, and that it "will not adversely affect water quality," among other findings. Section 25-119(d)(4) requires the County to notify the Maryland Department of Natural Resources within 15 days of receiving any such variance request, giving the state agency a chance to weigh in before removal of protected vegetation proceeds. 00 per square foot of woodland destroyed, deposited into the county's Woodland Conservation Fund, on top of any mitigation the Planning Director orders.
Violations & Fines
Clearing rare, threatened, or endangered vegetation without the required variance and Tree Conservation Plan review exposes an applicant to a stop-work order and a fine of up to $9.00 per square foot of woodland destroyed under Section 25-120(c)(4), assessed whether the whole woodland or only its understory is removed. The County can also require mitigation on an acre-for-acre basis and may seek an injunction to halt ongoing clearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Prince George's County require special review for endangered species habitat?
Who gets notified when a protected-species variance is requested?
What's the penalty for clearing protected vegetation without approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland tree protection overview
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