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City of Madison

Leaf Them Alone: Madison Strengthening Tree Protection Ordinances

posted 

For Immediate Release
August 4, 2025

New and stronger tree protection measures will be introduced at the Common Council's August 5 meeting.

“The ordinance aligns our rules with the current best management practices for street trees,” says City of Madison Forester Ian Brown, the current president of the Wisconsin Arborist Association..  

“When mature trees are lost,” Forester Brown continued, “it takes decades to recover the benefits they provide, like cooling our homes, intercepting stormwater, and improving health outcomes in neighborhoods. Trees are invaluable community assets. As Madison continues to see many development projects, taking more steps to protect trees as a key part of our infrastructure just makes sense.” 

Tree Protection Updates 

There are three core features to the updates. More specific and technical details can be found in the ordinance language.  

Increasing the Protection Zone Around Street Trees in Construction Areas 

The current rules require a protection zone of five feet around trees in construction areas. That has proven to be insufficient, especially for mature trees. 

The new ordinance proposes to increase the protection zone requirements.  

For every inch of a tree trunk’s diameter, there will be one foot of tree protection zone required. For example, if there is a tree with a 20-inch diameter within a project area, a contractor must maintain a 20-foot protection zone around the tree. Also, if there is a tree with a 5-inch diameter or less within a project area, contractors must maintain a 5-foot protection zone.  

The ordinance also allows the tree protection zone to be increased or decreased only with direct approval of Urban Forestry and Engineering. 

Suspending or Revoking Permits for Tree Protection Violations 

Currently, if trees are harmed contrary to submitted plans, or if protection zones are violated, contractors can be fined.  

The new rules keep fines in place but includes a new mechanism to ensure compliance.  

The new ordinance proposes the ability to suspend or even revoke the necessary street occupancy permits for projects that fail to follow the tree protection rules within their submitted plans. 

Removing this permit will stop projects until the tree protection issue can be resolved and a new permit can be issued. 

Establishing a Street Tree Replacement Fund 

This creates a mechanism where Madison can be made whole if street tree removal is proven necessary for a project. Tree removal and replacement is an option of last resort. 

If there is agreement between Urban Forestry and the developer/contractor that a street tree cannot be saved, the entity removing the tree will pay into a tree replacement fund equal to the value of the removed tree so Urban Forestry can improve the City’s canopy elsewhere. These funds will go directly to improving site conditions, soil volume, and tree planting to support future community canopy growth. 

Opportunities for Public Comment on Tree Protection Ordinances 

Following the formal introduction on August 5, the tree protection ordinance changes will move through several committees and then back to the Common Council.  

You can voice support, share a comment, or provide other opinions on the updated tree protection ordinance by participating in one of these upcoming public meetings about the ordinance:

Departments:
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