The urban tree canopies that shade so many Pacific Northwest cities west of the Cascades are ecological treasures. In fact, the conservation and advocacy group American Forests placed both Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, on its list of the 10 best U.S. cities for urban forests.
That’s both (very) good and (slightly) bad news for developers.
The very good news: The more that people learn about this region’s green bounty and beauty, the more people will seek to make the area their home. That means lots of potential work for developers — especially housing developers.
The slightly bad news: Government policies that are put in place to protect that wonderful urban tree canopy can sometimes make it difficult for home builders and developers to, well, build homes and develop living spaces.
For example, depending on city code, a builder may have to abandon the idea of clear-cutting properties and turn instead to a commercial tree pruning service.
City tree code
The Portland City Council, for example, recently updated its tree code amid a citywide debate over the removal of mature trees on property slated for development. As reported in The Oregonian, “Recent clashes over mature trees targeted for cutting in Portland neighborhoods have drawn strict lines between developers using the city’s new tree ordinance and neighbors who oppose the removal of century-old neighborhood landmarks.”
Furthermore, the city of Portland’s “Trees & Development” page states that “tree preservation and tree density requirements apply to many development projects, including new construction, additions, and exterior renovations. When applicable, tree requirements will be reviewed as part of your building permit application.”
Commercial Tree Pruning: Urban Forest Pro
Fortunately, despite these new restrictions, there are plenty of options for creative and entrepreneurial home builders — especially those who choose to partner with Urban Forest Pro. Not only are we one of Portland’s official “Local Tree Care Providers,” every one of our arborists is ISA Certified.
Urban Forest Pro is perfectly positioned to perform commercial tree pruning on canopies that may be prohibited by city code from being removed. We’ve covered some of the ins and outs of tree pruning in Portland on our Urban Forest Pro blog. But generally speaking, there are four types of pruning: full pruning, heavy thinning, crown restoration, crown lifting, and formal pruning.
What might work for you? Contact Urban Forest Pro and let our tree experts be your guide. If you have any questions about commercial tree pruning in the city of Portland — or anywhere in the region, for that matter — call us at 503-479-5921.
