Douglas County, NE Tree Protection: Tree Replacement Requirements (2026)

Street tree replacement in Omaha is managed by the Parks & Recreation Forestry Division under Omaha Municipal Code Chapter 26. When a public right-of-way tree is removed — whether due to disease, damage, emerald ash borer, or construction conflict — the Forestry Division plans replacement on a rolling basis, typically within 1 to 2 growing seasons. Residents do not pay for replacement of street trees; costs are covered by the Omaha Parks budget. New subdivision developments in West Omaha, Bennington, Valley, and Elkhorn require street tree planting as a condition of subdivision approval under Omaha Muni Code Ch. 53 and Douglas County Subdivision Regulations, typically at a rate of 1 tree per 50 feet of frontage with minimum 2-inch caliper, from an approved native and adapted species list. Private property tree replacement is not generally mandated by Omaha code. HOA covenants in master-planned communities (Regency, Linden Estates, Indian Creek) may impose replacement requirements. The City's emerald ash borer response program has driven replacement of over 10,000 ash trees with species including oak, Kentucky coffeetree, linden, hackberry, and ginkgo to diversify the canopy.