Mendocino County, CA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected species
- commercial timber, true oak, Tan Oak
- Governing section
- County Code § 10A.17.040(K)
- Trigger
- removal to create/expand a grow site
- Exceptions
- routine pruning; safety or disease removal
- Enforcement
- Sec. 10A.17.070(W) bars licensing on cleared land
Summary
Mendocino County bans clearing commercial timber species, true oaks, or Tan Oaks to build or expand a cannabis cultivation site under County Code Section 10A.17.040(K). The prohibition covers any grading or land alteration done to create or enlarge a grow, though routine pruning and removal for safety or disease control remain allowed.
Prohibition on Tree Removal. Removal of any commercial tree species as defined by Title 14 California Code of Regulations section 895.1, Commercial Species for the Coast Forest District and Northern Forest District, and the removal of any true oak species (Quercus sp.) or Tan Oak (Notholithocarpus sp.) for the purpose of developing a cannabis cultivation site is prohibited. This prohibition shall not include the pruning of any such trees for maintenance, or the removal of such trees if necessary to address safety or disease concerns. For purposes of this Section 10A.17.040(K), "for the purpose of developing a cultivation site" shall mean the alteration, grading, removal, or other development of land to create, or expand, a cultivation site, as that term is defined in Section 10A.17.020.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
020. The ban exempts routine pruning for tree maintenance and removal necessary to address safety or disease concerns, so a hazard tree can still come down without triggering the prohibition. 070(W) bars a Commercial Cannabis Business License (CCBL) holder from cultivating on any portion of a parcel where a protected species was unlawfully removed, unless the site was cultivated before May 4, 2017 and the applicant shows the environmental impacts of that removal have since been mitigated or resolved to the satisfaction of CalFire, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Because the protection is written into the cultivation ordinance rather than a general tree ordinance, it applies specifically to grows and does not create a countywide tree-preservation permit system outside the cannabis licensing context.
Violations & Fines
Unlawfully clearing a protected tree species to make room for cannabis plants blocks licensing on that ground indefinitely: Section 10A.17.070(W) prohibits any CCBL holder from cultivating on the cleared portion of the parcel unless the clearing predates May 4, 2017 and the resulting environmental damage has been mitigated to CalFire, NCRWQCB, and CDFW's satisfaction, so a new violation carries no path to a permit at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prune oak trees on land I plan to use for a cannabis grow?
What species does the cannabis tree-removal ban protect?
What happens if I already cleared protected trees before applying for a cannabis license?
Does this rule apply outside of cannabis cultivation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mendocino County
California rules heatmap·Compare Mendocino County to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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