Portland Urban Forestry mailbox

In response to this week’s blog post regarding a tree on SE Burnside, Portland’s Urban Forestry division offered this response below. Submit your Portland urban forestry questions to the blog ([email protected]) and we’ll do our best to find the answer.

By Angie DiSalvo

Portland Parks and Recreation’s Urban Forestry Division is charged with enforcing Portland’s tree code. Since the 1970s the City of Portland has regulated the pruning, planting, and removal of publicly owned street trees as well as certain trees on privately owned lots. Street trees, the trees growing in the public right-of-way, need permits for removal, planting, and pruning from Urban Forestry. Removal permits are only granted for trees that are dead, dying, or dangerous and if a permit is granted, replanting is required.

For privately owned trees, if the tree is 12 inches or larger in diameter at breast height (DBH) and not on the City’s nuisance list, it may be regulated, depending upon the type of lot. Dividable lots, corner lots, and lots in certain environmental zones require permits to remove trees over 12” in DBH. To find out if a permit is needed for a private tree, call Urban Forestry at 503-823-4489.

Portland has stiff penalties for illegal tree removals, which can include fines of $1,000 or more per tree plus mitigation. More information on the permitting process is available on our website at http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/trees

For questions or consultation on your street trees, Urban Forestry is here to help. Pruning and planting permits are free and include a tree inspection by a certified arborist. When in doubt, contact our office for assistance at 503-823-4489.

DiSalvo is a Botanic Specialist II, Forestry, for the City of Portland’s Urban Forestry Division.