Kirkwood, MO Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Invasive defined
- Foreign species overtaking natural vegetation
- Canopy exclusion
- Prohibited species can't count toward coverage
- Approved list
- New trees drawn from Recommended Species List
- Minimum size
- 6+ inch DBH existing trees, good/fair condition
- Shortfall fee
- $500 per 1,000 sq ft of canopy
Summary
Kirkwood's Tree Code will not let an invasive or prohibited species count toward a project's required tree canopy. Only trees that are not listed as invasive or on the Tree Manual's prohibited list can be counted as protected canopy trees, and new plantings used to satisfy canopy coverage must come from the City's approved Recommended Species List.
INVASIVE Any tree or shrub considered to be foreign or unnatural with the ability to overcome the natural vegetation and expand rapidly throughout the landscape. ... UNDESIRABLE TREE Any tree classified as invasive or a nuisance by the City of Kirkwood. ... (3) All trees designated to be protected or included in the canopy requirements shall be of a species not listed as a prohibited species in the Tree Manual. Existing trees shall be live, healthy trees over six inches in diameter and in good or fair condition of health. New deciduous trees shall be a minimum of two inches caliper and evergreen trees shall be a minimum of eight feet in height.
Full Breakdown
Section 24-2 defines INVASIVE as any tree or shrub that is foreign or unnatural and able to overcome the natural vegetation and expand rapidly through the landscape, and it separately defines UNDESIRABLE TREE as any tree the City of Kirkwood classifies as invasive or a nuisance. Those two definitions feed directly into the canopy classifications used throughout the Tree Code: a LARGE, MEDIUM, or SMALL CANOPY TREE is defined by mature height, but each definition specifically excludes any tree listed as an invasive or prohibited species.
That exclusion carries real weight in Section 24-4(d)(3), the canopy coverage standard for development: all trees designated to be protected or counted toward the City's canopy coverage requirement (350 square feet of canopy per 1,000 square feet of single-family lot area) must be of a species that is not listed as a prohibited species in the Tree Manual. Existing trees also have to be live, healthy, and over six inches in diameter in good or fair condition to be counted; new deciduous trees need at least a two-inch caliper and new evergreens at least eight feet in height, and their canopy value is calculated using the rates in the City's Recommended Species List.
In practice, this means a builder cannot satisfy Kirkwood's tree canopy requirement by planting or preserving a species the City has flagged as invasive or undesirable in the Tree Manual; only species off that prohibited list count toward compliance.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate fine for planting a prohibited species by itself, but Section 24-4(d)(2) treats a canopy shortfall caused by relying on ineligible trees as a failure to comply with Chapter 24, Article II. That failure is enforced as a municipal offense under Section 24-5 and Section 1-8 of the Code, and the developer must pay a replanting fee of $500 per 1,000 square feet of missing canopy into the City's tree fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kirkwood ban planting invasive tree species?
What is an "undesirable tree" under Kirkwood's code?
Where do I find Kirkwood's list of prohibited tree species?
What happens if my new trees don't qualify for canopy credit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkwood
Compare Kirkwood to another location·View the Missouri tree protection overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.