Becoming Involved in Your Community

Tree protection and tree harvesting ordinances preserve visual appearance, protect habitat for wildlife and plants, and preserve trees important to a community’s history and heritage. Consulting Foresters need to recognize that community concerns about forestry may determine the practices allowed on their clients' lands in the future. Involvement in the community and awareness of concerns is a first step. Once involved, Consulting Foresters can offer expertise and guidance about the benefits of properly managed forestland to both local officials and fellow citizens.

Become a resource to your community and local government:

• Learn about city and county jurisdictions and regulations that apply to your clients' land. Your city or county manager’s office and the city and county planning, zoning, environmental, engineering, and inspection departments can provide this information.

• Look online at local government websites for zoning ordinances, tree protection regulations, and other land use regulations. Remember that laws and regulations made available through local government web sites are not the legally enforceable versions—they are provided only for general guidance and reference. Local departments, city clerks, or county clerks maintain the official enforceable text.

Note: The failure of a county or municipal official to provide you with the most recent amendments to an ordinance or rule does not relieve you of the obligation of complying nor does it result in the imposition of liability upon that official or that official’s employer.

• Ask questions of local officials and government staff about zoning or tree protection ordinances in your community. Guidance and contact information are often available on city or county’s planning, zoning, or environmental department web page and may also be available through your state's Extension Forestry website.
  

SOURCE: Practicing Forestry Under Local Regulations - WON No. 41 - NC Cooperative Extension Service - 2006 - Prepared by Brandon A. King, Robert E. Bardon, PhD, Mark A. Megalos, PhD