San Leandro, CA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)

San Leandro Municipal Code Chapter 5-2 does not designate any species of tree as 'protected' on private property, and the City's draft tree protection ordinance (Legistar File #14-190) remains unadopted. For street trees in the public right-of-way, the City maintains an approved Street Tree List under SLMC §5-2-215 that governs which species may be planted, but this is a planting list, not a protection list. Despite the absence of a local protected species ordinance, the City requires that anyone removing a street tree must 'inspect for nesting birds/animals before work' — a procedure required to comply with the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. §§703-712) and California Fish & Game Code §3503 and §3503.5, which prohibit the take, possession, or destruction of nests or eggs of any native bird, including incidental destruction during tree work. Additionally, California's Oak Woodlands Conservation Act (Public Resources Code §§21083.4 and 21090) requires CEQA review for projects affecting significant native oak resources, though this applies primarily at the project-approval level rather than to individual homeowners. The Tree Master Plan (adopted Jan. 6, 2025) commits to reviewing tree ordinances; until then, no species-specific local protection exists.