Denver County, CO Tree Protection: Tree Replacement Requirements (2026)

Denver's Office of the City Forester enforces a 1:1 replacement requirement for any tree removed from the public right-of-way. Replacement species must be chosen from the approved Denver Tree List, which emphasizes drought-tolerant, climate-adapted varieties like Kentucky coffee tree, bur oak, hackberry, and catalpa, and avoids overplanting of monocultures vulnerable to disease (which accelerated the current EAB crisis). Replacement trees must meet a minimum caliper standard (typically 1.5 to 2 inch caliper) and be planted within one growing season of removal. If site constraints prevent on-site replanting, a fee-in-lieu is paid to the Denver Tree Fund based on the tree's appraised value using Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) methodology. Fees typically range from $500 to $3,000+ per tree. Construction-related replanting is required in zoning review under DZC landscape standards — new development must install street trees at 30-foot spacing in the tree lawn. Watering/establishment responsibility lies with the adjacent property owner for the first 2 years.