Mariposa County, CA Tree Protection: Tree Removal Permits (2026)

There is no dedicated tree-removal permit program in unincorporated Mariposa County of the kind found in some urban or coastal California jurisdictions. The Development Code (Title 17) does not establish a private-property tree-removal permit, and the County instead relies on General Plan policy to protect significant trees. Under the Conservation and Open Space Element, Policy 11-4a directs the County to conserve the diversity of native ecosystems and plant communities, and Implementation Measure 11-4a(2) provides that site development and grading review should minimize the removal of native trees and groves of trees. As a result, tree-removal scrutiny is generally tied to discretionary projects, grading permits, and subdivisions rather than to individual homeowner tree cutting. When a project is subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), removal of significant biological resources, including oak woodland in this Sierra foothill county, can require a biological assessment and mitigation as conditions of approval. The County has not adopted a separate oak-woodland mitigation ordinance or per-tree mitigation-fee schedule. For wildfire safety, removal of dead, dying, or hazardous trees as part of PRC 4291 defensible space generally does not require a county permit, and Public Works coordinates tree-mortality removal along county roads with CAL FIRE. Applicants for any development should confirm tree-related conditions with the Planning Department early.