Tree Management at UBC

Learn more about UBC's tree protection strategy and how tree removals are regulated through the development permit process.

June 2026 Update

Over the coming weeks, a number of hazard trees identified by a certified arborist will be removed in select campus and neighbourhood urban forest areas. These trees are dead, diseased, or structurally compromised and pose safety risks. In line with UBC’s tree management plan, removals are conducted to protect people, infrastructure, and property, while also reducing risks from storms, pests, and wildfire. Tree removal is a last resort, with replacement planting prioritized to maintain a healthy urban forest.  Where appropriate, some hazard trees will be left to provide valuable habitat for the conservation or enhancement of wildlife.

UBC encourages tree retention, protection and replacement to other locations on campus whenever possible. However, as part of the natural process of aging and urban forest renewal, some trees decay and become a safety risk and must be removed. Trees are also removed to accommodate new academic and housing development on campus.

Tree Protection

Priority is given to retaining existing trees wherever possible and ensuring their health is protected throughout construction activities. UBC integrates tree protection into its land-use and development planning to carefully balance campus growth with environmental conservation. Through its climate action plans and biodiversity strategies, the university also prioritizes maintaining and enhancing its tree canopy, which is vital for carbon storage, urban cooling, and habitat provision. In addition, UBC undertakes ongoing tree inventories and monitoring initiatives to assess tree health and inform planning decisions. To learn more, see the "Tree Protection Notes" page at the end of the Streets and Landscapes Application Form. 

Tree Removals 

Despite our best efforts, sometimes removing trees is unavoidable. Tree removals at UBC typically occur for one of the following reasons:

  • Overcrowding due to maturing landscaping on residential properties
  • Maturing street trees in the public realm
  • New development on undeveloped sites
  • Hazardous conditions and/or tree health

To remove a tree at UBC, you need an approved tree removal permit. UBC tree removal application processes are similar to the practices undertaken in municipalities. A permit is required if the tree is:

  • More than 15 cm dbh (diameter at breast height)
  • Being removed for a future development; or
  • In a residential area and approved as part of a previous development plan or permit. 

On UBC academic land, a Development Permit or Streets and Landscapes Permit is required to remove a tree.

In situations where a tree is causing safety concerns or experiencing hazardous conditions, the tree can be removed at the recommendation of the UBC Campus Arborist without a permit.

Tree removal on neighbourhood residential or other private properties

A permit must be obtained prior to removing a tree on private property. The landscape plan for each residential development is approved through a formal public process and forms part of the project’s original Development Permit. The role of C+CP is to uphold that original design vision while respecting the natural evolution of the landscape as it matures. Any proposed pruning, removal, or modification is evaluated in the context of maintaining overall canopy coverage and long-term landscape performance. UBC’s land use rules require that a minimum tree canopy be maintained across neighbourhoods to support ecological health, climate resilience, and livability. Tree replacements may be required in accordance with the UBC Development Handbook. 

Tree maintenance, including responsible pruning, may be undertaken without a permit.

Tree removals in outdoor public spaces 

Outdoor public spaces in the neighbourhoods that are outside of property lines include:

  • Parks
  • Greenways, or
  • Streetscapes.

The University Neighbourhood Association (UNA) is responsible for maintaining these areas. Should you see a damaged tree in a park or along a street or would like to request that trees in the public realm be trimmed or pruned, please contact the UNA Operations Manager.

The UNA will be required to submit a Development Permit application to Campus and Community Planning if a tree must be removed.

Occasionally groups of trees must be removed to make way for new developments, as is currently the case in Wesbrook Place (See Wesbrook Neighbourhood Plan). Although there are large areas within the neighbourhood that have been set aside as natural areas, greenways or parks, there are also areas that have been subdivided for development.

A Development Permit is required for all tree removals on development sites in addition to a tree removal notification sign that indicates the number and species of trees to be removed, and the rationale for removal. The sign must be placed on the site for a minimum of 48 hours before removal. All tree removal notifications are also posted on this page. 

Should a tree pose an imminent threat to public safety due to poor health or weather damage, the tree may be removed immediately and a permit is not required. Tree removals should only be undertaken by a certified Arborist. If the tree is located on a residential property, removal may be arranged directly by the strata or property manager. If the tree is in an outdoor public space within a neighbourhood, the UNA should be contacted.

For dangerous or damaged trees on the academic campus, please contact UBC Facilities. 

In UBC Neighbourhoods, the Development Handbook establishes tree replacement requirements. All healthy trees removed with a DBH greater than 15 cm must be replaced as follows:

  • 15–30 cm (small/very small): 1:1
  • 31–80 cm (medium): 2:1
  • 80 cm (large): 3:1

On academic lands, trees removed for development with a diameter of 15 cm or greater must be replaced at a 1:1 ratio. The type, size, and location of replacement trees are determined at the discretion of the University Landscape Architect.

These neighbourhood replacement ratios are anticipated to be applied across academic lands following approval of the amended Campus Plan (anticipated Fall 2026).

Notices of Tree Removal
If a tree is removed through UBC’s permit process, a notice of the planned removal must be posted in advance on this website.