Salem, OR Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- SRC Chapter 808
- Protected trigger
- Any size for rare/threatened/endangered species
- Removal without permit
- Prohibited (SRC 808.015)
- Permit procedure
- Type I under SRC chapter 300
- Restoration standard
- Appraised value per ISA Guide
- Enforcing office
- Planning Administrator
Summary
Salem Revised Code Chapter 808 bars removal of any rare, threatened, or endangered tree species regardless of trunk size, along with large Oregon white oaks and other big trees, unless the owner obtains a City permit, an approved tree conservation plan, or a variance.
Significant tree means: (a)A rare, threatened, or endangered tree of any size, as defined or designated under state or federal law and included in the tree and vegetation technical manual; ... No person shall remove a significant tree, unless the removal is undertaken pursuant to a tree and vegetation removal permit issued under SRC 808.030, undertaken pursuant to a tree conservation plan approved under SRC 808.035, or undertaken pursuant to a tree variance granted under SRC 808.045.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
005, a "significant tree" includes any rare, threatened, or endangered tree of any size, as defined or designated under state or federal law and listed in the City's Tree and Vegetation Technical Manual. This category gets no size threshold: a single young specimen of a listed species is protected the moment it is planted or found on a site, unlike ordinary trees, which only become "significant" at 20 inches dbh for Oregon white oak or 30 inches dbh for most other species. 045. 030 is processed as a Type I procedure under SRC chapter 300 and is only granted where the applicant proves the tree is hazardous, removal is necessary for lawful repair of an existing structure without enlarging its footprint, the removal serves a water-dependent activity, or, for non-residential development, the applicant shows no reasonable design alternative exists after considering street alignment, utility placement, and site topography.
The Planning Administrator administers the program, and applications must include a site plan showing the type, size, and location of every tree proposed for removal or preservation.
Violations & Fines
Violations are enforced under SRC 110.110 and SRC 808.065. The Planning Administrator can issue a stop work order limited to the specific site phase where the violation occurred, and may revoke the permit if work is adversely affecting property, rights-of-way, or riparian corridors. A violator must fund a replanting and restoration plan valued at the tree's appraised worth under the International Society of Arboriculture's Guide for Plant Appraisals; any shortfall is paid into the Salem City Tree Fund under SRC chapter 86. The City withholds final completion approval until the violation is cured and any penalty paid, and may seek injunctive relief for up to five years against willful violators of the conservation-plan provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a small rare-species tree still need a permit to remove in Salem?
Who decides whether a tree species counts as rare, threatened, or endangered in Salem?
What happens if someone removes a protected tree without authorization in Salem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salem
Compare Salem to another location·View the Oregon tree protection overview
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