Before reviewing your results, verify how your state governs local authority. States follow either Dillon’s Rule, which limits municipalities to powers explicitly granted by the state, or Home Rule, which allows broader local authority unless specifically prohibited by state law. If you’re in a Dillon’s Rule state, your tree ordinance must follow state-enabling legislation. Check your state statutes, municipal league, or community forestry program to confirm your state’s model.
When developing or revising a tree ordinance, we recommend you work with your community’s legal counsel. Legal counsel will help ensure your ordinance complies with state and local requirements, properly establishes enforcement authority, and can achieve your community's goals, while avoiding potential legal challenges.
Introduction
The Purpose Section is traditionally the first part of an ordinance. It lays out the foundational vision and objectives for the rest of the ordinance to build upon. A well-crafted purpose statement helps avoid ambiguity in interpretation and strengthens enforcement.
There are two key components in a Purpose Section:
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A purpose statement that articulates why a community values trees and the community forest, often supported by a list of tree benefits.
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A set of objectives to achieve the vision detailed in the purpose statement.
The Purpose Section should reflect the specific values and conditions present in your community. Depending on the structure of your ordinance, the Purpose Section can be specific to public trees, private trees, or both. Sample language and real-world examples are organized into three tiers of complexity below.
Key Definitions
Urban Forest or Community Forest
All publicly and privately owned trees, shrubs, and woody vegetation within municipal boundaries, including street trees, park trees, and trees on private property.
Tree Canopy
The layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above, expressed as a percentage of total land area.
Sustainable Management
Practices that maintain or enhance the health, diversity, and longevity of the urban forest while balancing ecological, economic, and social needs.
Ecosystem Benefits
The essential contributions trees make to maintaining healthy, resilient, and livable environments for people, animals, and plants. Commonly, these benefits include improving air and water quality, regulating climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, moderating temperatures, reducing stormwater runoff and erosion, providing habitat and food for wildlife, supporting biodiversity, and offering cultural and recreational value such as shade, beauty, and spaces for community activities.
Example Language
Basic Level
Basic purpose sections are effective for establishing foundational tree ordinances, but they may lack the detail and vision to guide comprehensive community forestry management. They are best suited for communities starting out or seeking simplicity, but may need to be expanded as community forestry goals become more sophisticated. Basic purpose sections are concise, clear, and can be impactful when adopting an ordinance for the first time.
Basic
Purpose
- The purpose of this ordinance is to protect and grow the community forest in [Community Name]. This ordinance regulates tree planting, maintenance, and removal of trees on public property with the intent of reducing hazards and improving public safety. Additionally, proactive maintenance contributes to a healthy and thriving community forest that provides ecosystem benefits to the community and helps to beautify our streets and parks.
Examples
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, NC Code of Ordinances. Chapter 20 - Trees, Sec. 20-1. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Salem, Oregon (public tree specific)
Salem, OR Code of Ordinances. Chapter 86. - Trees on City Owned Property, Sec. 86.005. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Longmont, Colorado
Longmont, CO Code of Ordinances. Chapter 12.24 Trees and Plants, Sec. 12.24.010. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Intermediate Level
Intermediate purpose sections expand beyond basic regulations by connecting tree policies to measurable ecosystem benefits provided by trees (e.g., heat reduction, stormwater management, etc.). They often reference municipal sustainability frameworks, providing clearer guidance for implementation. While more detailed, they typically omit equity considerations or specific canopy targets, leaving room for interpretation.
Intermediate
Purpose
- [Community Name] is committed to improving air quality, reducing urban heat islands, improving stormwater management, and increasing access to green spaces through tree preservation, maintenance, planting, and replanting. To support these commitments, this ordinance requires the use of current industry standards for sustainable urban forest management. The intent of these regulations is to:
- Promote planting trees for shade, aesthetic appeal, improving community health, and species diversity on both public and private property
- Preserve, protect, and enhance the community forest in accordance with the city’s Community Forest Management Plan.
- Support community health and resilience.
Examples
Utica, New York
Utica, NY Code of Ordinances. Chapter 2.17 Nuisances, Sec. 2-17-26. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Normal, Illinois
Normal, Il Code of Ordinances. Chapter 8 Public Way, Sec. 8.7-1. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento, CA Code of Ordinances. Chapter 12.56 Tree Planting, Maintenance, and Conservation, Sec 12.56.010. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Advanced Level
Advanced purpose sections adopt a holistic, systems-based approach, embedding equity metrics (e.g. tree canopy scoping, prioritizing underserved areas, etc.), climate targets (e.g. carbon reduction, tree canopy growth, etc.), and enforcement mechanisms (e.g. community forest audits, mitigation programs, etc.). They explicitly tie community forestry to environmental and community wellbeing, public health, and cross-departmental planning (e.g., zoning, transportation). While comprehensive, their complexity demands significant resources, detailed stakeholder collaboration, and ongoing data tracking.
Advanced
Purpose
- This ordinance advances [Community Name]’s sustainability initiatives by increasing tree canopy coverage to 40% by 2040.
- [Community Name] strives to prioritize underserved neighborhoods when investing in the urban forest. By integrating urban forestry with green infrastructure, biodiversity protection, and equitable access to green spaces, [City Name] ensures that trees contribute to carbon sequestration, social justice, and public health equity.
- Ongoing public education and urban tree canopy (UTC) assessments every 5 years are mandated to uphold these goals and improve implementation and enforcement over time.
Examples
Burien, Washington
Burien, WA Code of Ordinances. Chapter 19.26 Tree Retention, Sec. 19.26.020. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds, WA Code of Ordinances. Chapter 23.10, Tree Related Regulations, Sec. 23.10.000. Accessed May 29th, 2025.
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR Code of Ordinances. Chapter 167: - Tree Preservation and Protection, Sec. 167.01. Accessed May 29th, 2025.