Boston Code Ch. 7-3 (Tree Preservation Ordinance, 2023) protects significant trees on private property over 20 inches DBH, requiring permits for removal and replacement plantings.
Boston's Tree Preservation Ordinance (Code Ch. 7-3, enacted 2023) regulates significant trees on private property: any tree 20+ inches diameter at breast height (DBH), or trees designated as heritage. Removal requires a permit from the Parks and Recreation Department's Urban Forestry division, with notice to abutters. Approved removals trigger replacement plantings (typically two to three new trees per significant tree removed) or in-lieu payment to the Tree Preservation Fund. The fund supports plantings in low-canopy neighborhoods (Roxbury, Mattapan, East Boston) under Boston's Urban Forest Plan, which targets equitable canopy expansion and Heat Resilience Solutions for environmental justice areas.
Unpermitted removal of a significant tree carries fines up to $5,000 per tree under Boston Code Ch. 7-3, plus mandatory replacement or in-lieu Tree Preservation Fund payment, enforced by Parks and Recreation.
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See how Boston's urban forest equity rules stack up against other locations.
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