Atlanta's Tree Protection Ordinance (Ch. 158) and Urban Ecology Framework target an equitable canopy across NPUs, prioritizing replanting in historically underinvested south and west Atlanta neighborhoods.
Atlanta's tree canopy averages around 46% but varies dramatically by neighborhood, with affluent north Atlanta areas exceeding 60% and parts of south and west Atlanta below 30%. Ch. 158 of the City Code, one of the strongest tree ordinances in the Southeast, requires permits for removing trees over 6 inches DBH on private land and recompense fees that fund replanting through the Tree Trust Fund. The Department of City Planning's Urban Ecology Framework directs trust-fund spending toward equity neighborhoods, partnering with Trees Atlanta on giveaways and street-tree projects. Council updates in recent years aimed to strengthen heritage tree protections and require replacement-tree survival guarantees for developers.
Removing protected trees without a permit triggers per-tree penalties including replacement requirements, fines per inch of diameter, and potential criminal misdemeanor charges for repeat or commercial violations.
See how Atlanta's urban forest equity rules stack up against other locations.
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