Overview
Urban and wildland trees have many benefits. The District is updating its Tree Management Bylaw to align with the latest best management practices and our community's environmental stewardship values..
The 2025 OurSquamish Urban Tree Canopy Study revealed:
“Squamish residents showed a strong sense of care for preserving mature trees, expressing frustration with developers for removing large, established trees, often replacing them with smaller, less effective plantings that fail to provide comparable shade or environmental benefits."
Why update a Bylaw?
Bylaws are living regulations that require regular updating
to reflect evolving community needs and conditions, and a changing physical
landscape. District Staff have identified areas where the bylaw may be amended
to improve the regulations and align with best management practices.
Background
The District’s current Tree Management Bylaw was adopted in 2018. This bylaw regulates tree management on all District lands including those located within Environmentally Sensitive and Riparian Areas.
For more information on how the Tree Removal Permitting process works, please visit this page: Trees and Soils Management - District of Squamish
Did You Know?
Community Survey
Meaningful bylaw updates involve community input. The intent of this survey is to:
- Align community values, goals and concerns related to tree management within the District;
- Identify challenges and opportunities within the current bylaw; and
- Inform bylaw updates that further reflect community input as well as the latest best management practices, Council direction and available municipal tools.
We invite everyone to share their values and preferences related to tree protection, removal, and replacement requirements. Please click on the survey below.
These links will open in new tabs and may be helpful as you fill out the survey:
Tree Management (Bylaw 2640).pdf
Trees and Soils Management - District of Squamish