Tree Guard

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Tree Work Permit

The City provides tree guards for new street trees under very limited circumstances. Property owners are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the guards, unless they have been installed by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).

If you are a property owner and want a tree guard around a City tree, you can make a donation toward guard installation to the NYC Parks Tree Time, which is a fund managed by DPR. You can make the tax-deductible donation by calling (718) 361-8101 or emailing TreeTime@parks.nyc.gov.

You can also apply for a Tree Work Permit and, after DPR approval, hire a private contractor to install a tree guard or construct a tree guard on your own which complies with DPR standards.

For more information about the tree guard permitting process, send an email to Central.Forestry@parks.nyc.gov.

If DPR installed the tree guard, then it remains under guarantee for the same period as the tree (typically 1-2 years). If the tree guard is damaged during that period, it will be replaced by a DPR contractor.

Once the guarantee timeframe expires, the tree guard is no longer under Parks jurisdiction and becomes the property owner’s responsibility.

Tree Guard Installed by Parks Department