Pearland, TX Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDC § 4.2.3.2(9)
- Large Tree threshold
- 12 inches DBH or more
- Heritage Tree threshold
- 24 inches DBH or more
- Replacement Tree minimum
- 2 inches DBH
- Species list location
- City Parks and Recreation Department
- Enforcer
- City's Urban Forester
Summary
Pearland's Unified Development Code sorts regulated trees into four classes by trunk diameter: Protected Trees drawn from the City's Protected Tree List, Large Trees at 12 inches DBH or more, Heritage Trees at 24 inches DBH or more, and Replacement/Qualified Trees at a minimum 2-inch DBH. The classification determines which trees a permit is required to remove.
(9) Tree: A woody plant having one well-defined stem or trunk, a defined crown and a mature height of at least eight (8) feet... Trees defined include: (a) PROTECTED TREE: Any Large Tree that is identified on the Protected Tree List (available in the City Parks and Recreation Department) and that is located within the City; (b) LARGE TREE: Any tree with a diameter (DBH) of twelve inches (12") or more...; (c) HERITAGE TREE: Any Protected Tree with a diameter (DBH) of twenty-four inches (24") or more located anywhere within the City...; (d) REPLACEMENT TREE/QUALIFIED TREE: Any tree included in the Protected Tree List (available in the City Parks and Recreation Department), with a DBH of at least two inches (2").
Full Breakdown
2(9) of the Unified Development Code defines a Tree as a woody plant having one well-defined stem or trunk, a defined crown and a mature height of at least eight feet, then splits regulated trees into four classes. A PROTECTED TREE is any Large Tree that is identified on the Protected Tree List, available in the City Parks and Recreation Department, and that is located within the City. A LARGE TREE is any tree with a diameter (DBH) of twelve inches or more, and a removed tree is presumed to have been a Large Tree if the diameter of the stump is twelve inches or greater.
A HERITAGE TREE is any Protected Tree with a diameter (DBH) of twenty-four inches or more located anywhere within the City, again with a stump-diameter presumption on removal. A REPLACEMENT TREE/QUALIFIED TREE is any tree included in the Protected Tree List with a DBH of at least two inches. DBH is measured four and one-half feet above the ground. The species that make the Protected Tree List itself are not printed in the UDC text; the code directs residents to the list available in the City Parks and Recreation Department, which the Urban Forester, defined as the professional with full authority to enforce this division, administers.
2(8) requires a six-foot temporary fence around the Critical Root Zone of each protected tree before site work starts. 4(b) exempts trees on a platted single-family lot with an existing home, trees in public utility easements, and trees on a former licensed tree farm or nursery.
Violations & Fines
Damaging or removing a Protected, Large or Heritage Tree without an approved Tree Disposition Plan violates Section 4.2.3.3, and Section 4.2.3.2(4) defines Damage broadly enough to cover severing roots, girdling, poisoning or compacting 25 percent or more of a tree's Critical Root Zone. The Urban Forester holds full authority to enforce this division, and violators can be required to plant Replacement Trees equal in diameter inches to the tree lost, funded in part through the City's Tree Trust capital project fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree 'protected' in Pearland?
What is a Heritage Tree in Pearland?
Are trees on a single-family lot protected?
How is a tree's size measured for classification?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pearland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Pearland to another location·View the Texas tree protection overview
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