Konkle Creek Trail with path and trees

Tree Protection

The Town’s Private Property Tree By-law No. 2025-40 protects trees located on private property within the Urban Areas of Lincoln, as well as trees in the Rural Area if they are located on lands associated with a planning application (a development) or on lands identified as a Natural Environment Area. 

Want to know if your tree/property is regulated by the By-law? Please search your address in the Private Tree By-law Protection Area Map tool, and if it's within an orange or green area, then it is regulated by the By-law! If you are unsure still, please contact treebylaw@lincoln.ca for clarification.

The By-law helps to grow and maintain a healthy urban tree canopy by ensuring that tree removals are reviewed and approved in a responsible and transparent way. The purpose of the By-law is to prevent clear cutting of trees, discourage the removal of healthy/non-hazardous trees, require replanting of trees for each healthy/non-hazardous tree taken down, and to encourage a culture of tree preservation. The By-law does all of this while still taking into consideration issues of hazardous, dead, dying/terminally diseased trees, nuisance/invasive trees, and trees interfering with current or future necessary infrastructure. This By-law supports urban forestry, sustainability, and climate change related objectives in the Town’s Urban Forest Management Strategy, Official Plan, and Strategic Plan.

Residents and Arborists on behalf of their clients can submit an Application for Tree Removal on Private Property via the Town's online application portal.

Note: The online application portal for an Application for Tree Removal on Private Property via Cloudpermit is nearly ready to accept applications, but isn't quite finished yet. In the Interim, please email treebylaw@lincoln.ca to receive a PDF copy of the application form. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Private Property Tree By-law Basics

An Application for Tree Removal on Private Property is not required for removal of every tree within the town of Lincoln. Trees generally fall within 3 categories in respect to the Private Property Tree By-law, they are either considered Excepted Trees, Exempted Trees, or Non-Exempt Trees. Below is a brief definition, while the following tabs have more detail:

  • Excepted Trees
    • Certain trees are considered excepted from By-law requirements due to their size, location, or another factor listed in Section 3 of the Private Property Tree By-Law. There is no need to submit an Application for Tree Removal on Private Property if the tree is identified as an exception to the By-law, it can be removed without permission from Town staff.
  • Exempted Trees
    • These trees are those still beholden to By-law requirements, as they do not satisfy any exception criteria, but are exempt from application fees and replanting requirements due to satisfying/aligning with an exemption criterion listed in Section 5 of the Private Property Tree By-Law. An Application for Tree Removal on Private Property is still necessary, and an Exemption letter is required to authorize tree removal.
  • Non-Exempt Trees
    • Those trees that do not satisfy any of the criteria that would warrant them to be exceptions to the By-law or exempt from the replanting and fees associated with a Private Property Tree Removal Permit are the healthy, non-intrusive, non-dangerous, and native trees that By-law 2025-40 is aiming to discourage unnecessary removal of.

Application Guide

The following tabs can be utilized to assist in progressing through an Application for Tree Removal on Private Property. 

Note: The online application portal for an Application for Tree Removal on Private Property via Cloudpermit is nearly ready to accept applications, but isn't quite finished yet. In the Interim, please email treebylaw@lincoln.ca to receive a PDF copy of the application form. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Frequently Asked Questions