Bristol, PA Tree Protection: Tree Removal Permits (2026)

Tree removal regulation in Bucks County operates at the municipal level. Pennsylvania has no statewide tree protection law for private property (unlike New Jersey across the Delaware). Several Bucks municipalities with strong environmental character have adopted tree protection ordinances: Doylestown Township, Newtown Township, Solebury Township, Upper Makefield Township, Buckingham Township, Warrington Township, and Warwick Township all have some form of tree protection, typically requiring permits for removal of trees above 6-12 inches DBH (diameter at breast height, measured 4.5 ft above grade). Common ordinance elements: threshold DBH (6, 8, or 12 inches), species carve-outs (invasive species like tree-of-heaven often exempt; native species like oak and beech protected), agricultural exemption (working farms under PA Right to Farm Act), and hazardous tree expedited permits with certified arborist report. Street trees within the public right-of-way in Doylestown Borough, Newtown Borough, New Hope, Bristol, and other incorporated areas are municipal property and cannot be removed by residents — the borough's public works or shade tree commission manages removal. Many Bucks municipalities have active Shade Tree Commissions under the PA Shade Tree Commission Act (53 P.S. §2951). The Bucks County Conservation District promotes tree preservation for stormwater and watershed benefits. Development-scale tree removal during subdivision approval is regulated through the municipal subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO) with required tree surveys and replacement plans.