Lake County, FL Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- LDR § 9.02.01(A)
- Native tree threshold
- 3-inch diameter at breast height
- Scrub tree threshold
- 2-inch diameter (Sand Pine, Xeric Oak Scrub)
- Wetland trees
- Protected at any size
- Specimen tree
- 30-inch caliper or roughly 100 years old
- Heritage tree
- 40-inch caliper; removal generally prohibited
- Not protected
- Citrus, non-native fruit, invasive/prohibited species
Summary
Lake County's Land Development Regulations protect four categories of trees from removal: any Florida-native or Florida Friendly tree three inches or larger in diameter, Sand Pine and Xeric Oak Scrub trees at two inches, wetland trees of any size, and County-designated Specimen or Heritage trees. LDR § 9.02.01(A) sets these thresholds; prohibited, invasive, citrus and non-native fruit trees never qualify.
Designation of Protected Trees. The following trees and palms are designated protected trees:1.All trees and palms native to Florida or Florida Friendly, three (3) inches or larger in diameter at breast height.2.Sand Pine and Xeric Oak Scrub community trees two (2) inches diameter or larger at breast height.3.Wetland trees of any size.4.Specimen and Heritage trees. ... Exemptions to Protected Trees. Prohibited trees, invasive trees, citrus or non-native fruit trees of any species Shall not be considered a protected tree.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 150).
Full Breakdown
01(A) designates four classes of protected trees and palms: any tree or palm native to Florida or classified Florida Friendly at three inches or larger in diameter at breast height; Sand Pine and Xeric Oak Scrub community trees at just two inches; wetland trees of any size at all; and any tree the county has formally recognized as a Specimen or Heritage tree. 10: a Specimen tree qualifies at a thirty-inch caliper, an age of roughly one hundred years, or documented rarity, unique form, or ecological value, while a Heritage tree needs a forty-inch caliper or the same qualitative criteria plus historical significance recognized by the Lake County Historical Society or the Board of County Commissioners.
10(F)(2) then makes its removal flatly prohibited unless it endangers people or property, with a variance from the Board of Adjustment as the only other way around that bar. 01(B) exempts prohibited species, invasive trees, citrus trees, and any non-native fruit tree from protected status no matter their size, so a homeowner can remove those without triggering the tree removal permit that protected status otherwise requires under the separate permitting section of this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Cutting, killing or removing a protected, Specimen or Heritage tree without the required permit is a separate violation for each tree under § 9.02.03, punishable through Chapter 8 of the Lake County Code. A Specimen or Heritage tree removed without a permit must be replaced at a 2.5:1 mitigation ratio; taking three or more protected trees without a permit triggers a 2:1 replacement ratio, and the violator must submit a site restoration plan within thirty days for County Manager approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree 'protected' in unincorporated Lake County?
How does a tree become a 'Specimen' or 'Heritage' tree?
Can I remove a Heritage tree from my property?
Are citrus trees or other fruit trees in my yard protected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lake County to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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