THE LEAFLET

It’s official: the Tree Canopy Protection Amendment Act of 2016 is now D.C. law!!!

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Councilmembers Charles Allen and Mary Cheh, along with the rest of the D.C. Council and of course Mayor Bowser, D.C.’s tree protections just got stronger.

To recap, here are some of the updates to the law:

• The size limit for Special Trees is reduced from 55 to 44 inches.
• A new category for protected trees, Heritage trees, is created. Heritage trees are trees over 100 inches in circumference.
• The fees and fines for removing a Special Tree increase
• Tree Fund money will be used to plant trees on public space, D.C.-owned schools and parks, and on private lands.
• An Urban Forestry Advisory Council will be created to coordinate the city’s tree-related matters.

The passage of this amendment is the final step in a journey that lasted months. We want to take the time to thank everyone who helped advocate for its passage — from the tree advocates who testified, the 500 D.C. residents who signed our petition and to our dedicated advocacy team.