Urban Forest Program
The City of Naples Urban Forest includes over 20,000 trees and palms located on public property. These include trees lining public streets, and in medians and parks. Almost 30% of the city is currently covered by tree canopy; this includes public as well as private trees. Having a diverse and well managed urban forest adds greatly to Naples’ distinct character and helps Naples meet its Vision Plan goal of being the “Green Jewel of Southwest Florida.”
A healthy urban forest creates many benefits including increasing property values, protecting the environment, reducing air pollution, reducing wind damage, protecting from sun and noise, improving storm water capture, and beautifying our city. We invite you to learn more about the City of Naples Urban Forest, including how you can help properly protect it.
The City of Naples is proud to have earned the designation of “Tree City USA” for the past 27 consecutive years and has received the “Tree City USA Growth Award” for 17 years and has been recognized as a "Tree Cities of the World" for the past five years. The city continuously works to maintain a resilient urban forest. Naples strives to plant native species of both canopy trees and palms.
TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCE
In June of 2017, the City Council adopted a revised Chapter 38 – Tree Protection of the City’s Code of Ordinances. This chapter of the code provides articles for protecting publicly owned trees. The City's ordinance protects trees and palms within the right-of-way, parks, medians, and other public lands. The ordinance establishes regulations governing the protection and management of city-owned trees and governing the management of diseased trees. You may not trim, prune, cut or alter any city tree without a permit, and only ISA certified arborists may work on city trees. You may not hang or attach things such as plants, swings, or flags to city trees.
The ordinance revision also provided for the protection of the Urban Forest during demolition and construction activities. All city owned trees and palms require protection to be installed and maintained during construction activities. The required protection should encompass the drip line for the tree and be constructed of wooden posts painted green.
On March 4, 2020, City Council approved ordinance amendments to Chapter 38. The Florida State Legislature and Governor approved, in 2019, Florida State Statute 163.045 titled “Tree pruning, trimming or removal on residential property”. This law prohibits local government from requiring residents to obtain a permit to remove a tree, on private residential property, if the property owner has proof from an arborist or landscape architect that the tree is a safety hazard. Since the City’s Tree Protection Ordinance conflicted with State Statute, the City Ordinance was amended. Florida State Statute 163.045 was revised in 2022 for clarification to terms, these changes had no impact on the City’s code.
Chapter 38 – Tree Protection TREE ALTERATION PERMIT
An approved Tree Alteration Permit is required before altering, trimming, disturbing, or removing any city tree. This applies to residents as well as commercial landscapers. Property owners must receive an approved tree alteration permit for permission to alter or trim any city tree. Any approved alteration or trimming must be performed by a contractor licensed, registered, certified or otherwise qualified to operate within the city. Additionally, only ISA certified arborists may work on city trees and city trees must be properly pruned in accordance with ANSI standards. You may not top or hatrack any city tree.
You must complete a Tree Alteration Permit thru the CityView application and submit it to the City for approval. It must be approved before any work is performed.
Creating a Portal Account - Guide
Tree Alteration Submittal Guide
2024 URBAN FOREST PLAN
The 2024 Urban Forest Plan has been approved. It was approved by our Tree Board, Community Services Advisory Board on January 17, 2024, and by the Naples City Council on March 4, 2024.
The Urban Forest Plan provides an overview of the care, preservation, pruning, planting, removal, or disposition of City trees and palms. It provides data concerning work performed to the urban forest during FY2022-2023 (October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023) and outlines the work to be completed during FY2023-2024. The city, through its Parks, Recreation, & Facilities Department – Parks & Parkways Division, manages an urban forest of 20,804 inventoried trees.
TREE FILL-IN PROGRAM
The City’s tree fill-in program allows for the replacement of lost trees and palms primarily along neighborhood streets. The city strives for a balanced urban forest; maintaining diversity to avoid creating an unhealthy monoculture. The city considers the above ground as well as the underground utilities when selecting species and planting sites.
The Tree Fill-In Program, funded annually in the City's CIP budgets, provides street trees at vacant planting locations. The City has finalized the 2024 tree planting plan with a commencement date of May 1, 2024. The tree species being planted will match the existing, approved street tree species.
Typically, the City’s street trees are planted in front of each side-yard property line (between each property and within the right-of-way). The planting process will include locating underground utilities at or near the planting site and selection of a specific planting location along the right-of-way that is not in conflict with underground utilities, driveway aprons, private landscaping on private property, and other landscaping within the right-of-way. The planting effort should result in minimal disruption or impact to the neighborhood or individual residences.
The Urban Forest Tree Plan is widely supported by City residents and is an element of the City’s Vision Plan. A major goal of the Vision Plan is to preserve the City’s distinctive character and culture and make Naples the green jewel of southwest Florida. During the past 27 years, the city has been annually recognized as a Tree City USA recipient. We are pleased to care for over 21,000 trees in City parks and within the public right-of-way. Many believe the abundance of trees and other landscaping contribute to that special “Naples Brand” unique to our community.
Should you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Heather Shields, City Arborist – Project Manager, via email hshields@naplesgov.com.
URBAN FOREST PRESENTATION
At the March 2021 virtual Florida Urban Forest Council conference. A presentation was made on the Naples Urban Forest. To view the presentation please click here.
Supporting Documents
Creating a Portal Account - Guide (668 KB) Tree Alteration Submittal Guide (867 KB) Chapter 38 (397 KB) 2023 Tree Fill-in List (240 KB) 2024 Urban Forest Report (7 MB) 2024 Planting Plan (178 KB) 
