A picturesque land of soaring pines and venerable live oaks, Jacksonville, FL is a vision of arboreal excellence — and the people want to keep it that way. Now, a new town ordinance imposed on developers will not only ensure that tree removals are replenished, but it will also open up funding opportunities for even more arboreal work. Arboreal Advocate Kevin Loewen discusses the latest:
A new town ordinance in Jacksonville is making land developers pay the price for any tree removals. All tree removals on construction sites (that are not replaced) will be subject to Ordinance 2025-0102, which requires a payment of $85 per caliper inch — or $188 per caliper inch in the case of a live oak. This effort will not only help to replenish unnecessarily removed trees, but it will also establish a fund for arboreal work throughout the vicinity.
City Council member Joe Carlucci is a big forerunner of the initiative. He became involved in tee-planting projects when he realized that the city’s tree mitigation efforts vastly outweighed available funding for replacing trees. And with that, Ordinance 2025-0101 came to be. The decision came after Carlucci spoke to arborists, urban fosters, landscape architects and even arboreal advocates like Kevin Loewen to establish the best course of action.
Jacksonville, FL is focused on building a city that’s growing — both in terms of population and the environment. This new opportunity aims to build a healthier environment, while continuing to support the development of resilient neighborhoods throughout the area.
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