Albany’s urban forest is a valuable functional and aesthetic asset that improves our quality of life by providing clean air and water for residents, visitors, and future generations. The economic, social and environmental benefits that a healthy tree can provide greatly influence our community health and vitality. The trees that line our streets, shade our parks and trails, and beautify our yards, shopping centers, and parking lots help make Albany a better place to live.
Our urban forestry program maintains and protects trees and associated vegetation on Albany’s public lands. We review permits for planting, trimming, and removing trees on public and private property and provide technical assistance to residents on urban forestry issues. We also offer the community many ways to get involved with learning about and caring for our urban forest.
Tree Information
Planting
Trees in Albany shade our homes and beautify our yards. They also function to reduce soil erosion and flooding, as well as improve local air and water quality.
The City of Albany’s Urban Forestry Program has compiled a list of approved street trees for planting within the street right-of-way planting strip along with planting tips for trees in the Pacific Northwest.
Before digging, always call
1-800-332-2344
Approved street trees and planting tips
More information:
Pruning
Trees need to be pruned throughout their life to stay healthy and safe. Pruning is a regular part of plant maintenance involving the selective removal of specific plant parts. Although shoots and branches are the main targets for removal, roots, flower buds, fruits and seed pods may also be pruned.
(Click to see a larger version)
More information:
Removal
Less than five trees?
- Albany Municipal Code Chapter 7.98 Tree Regulations, requires a permit for the removal of a street tree(s).
- A permit is also required under this chapter to remove any tree(s) within the City limits that have a circumference of six and one-half feet (approximately 25" in diameter).
- To begin the permit process, contact Rick Barnett,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 541-917-7763.
Five or more trees?
- The Albany Development Code 9.205 - 208 Tree Felling; requires a site plan review when proposing to cut 5 trees or more that are each eight inches (8") in diameter or greater, measured four and one-half feet (4'5") from the ground.
- Albany Parks & Recreation will review this request, but the site plan review is initially performed by the Community Development Department Planning Division.
The City has completed an inventory of street trees in the public rights-of-way.
Just like any other City infrastructure, to properly manage our urban forest asset we need to know the status of our forest and location of its trees. In partnership with Oregon Department of Forestry, Forestry Program, two interns collected data during the summer of 2022 to map and document all the street trees of Albany.
This street tree inventory will help us:
- Identify maintenance needs and priorities.
- Quantify the environmental and economic benefits of our urban forest.
- Identify the health of our forest.
- Quantify the diversity of our forest.
- Assess infrastructure and tree conflicts.
- Identify potential planting locations.
- Track tree work history over time.
- Inform long-term management goals and decisions.
For questions, please contact 541-791-0157 or
Programs
Neighborwoods
NeighborWoods is a program developed through the City of Albany Urban Forestry Program to help restore our City's tree canopy by planting trees in neighborhoods and neighborhood parks with the assistance of interested neighborhood residents. Only one neighborhood is selected per year.
| Date | Activity Timeline |
| August 31 | Application Deadline, due to City of Albany by 5 p.m. |
| September 30 | Applicants are Notified of Awards |
| TBA-Winter | Tree Planting Day |
Heritage Tree Program
The Albany Heritage Tree Program was established by the City Tree Commission to recognize, foster appreciation of, and protect trees having historic significance to our community.
