Tree felling

Felling permit required

• For felling 1 or more monumental or valuable trees. More information can be found under the “Monumental and valuable trees” tab.
• If you want to cut down 10 or more trees that are not monumental or valuable, certain rules apply. The trees you wish to cut down must have a trunk circumference of at least 63 centimetres at a height of 1.30 meters from the ground. This means that the trunk must be at least 20 cm wide at that height. Trees with a thinner trunk do not count toward the felling permit.

No felling permit required

There are some trees you can always cut down without a permit. Use the permit check at the Omgevingsloket to check whether you need to apply for a felling permit.

Felling trees outside built-up areas

Provincial authority rules apply to felling trees outside built-up areas. You may have to submit a notification to the Province of Friesland. See the website of the Provincie of Friesland for more information.

Compensation

If you cut down 10 trees, you are obliged, in consultation with the local authority, to plant 11 trees in return. If some or all of this is not possible, you pay a compensation amount of €500 per tree.

To cut down monumental or valuable trees, you must always apply for an environmental permit.

Compensation

For tree felling, you always pay financial compensation of €2000 per tree, unless the tree is irreparably diseased or damaged. This must be determined by an expert appointed by the local authority.

Listed and valuable trees

View the list of monumental and valuable treesfor more information about which trees are monumental and valuable in our municipality

Do you want to nominate a tree for the list of monumental and valuable trees? Send an email to: binnenstad@leeuwarden.nl. This list is determined every 4 years.

For illegally felling a tree, you will be charged twice the compensation amount as a fine. More information on these amounts can be found under the “Costs” tab.

The compensation amount you pay will be deposited in the Green Compensation Fund. New trees are paid for, among other things, from this fund. They are planted in a good location that offers the opportunity to grow into adults specimens.

The local authority is in favour of installing solar panels. But blocking sunlight is no reason to prune or cut trees down. When installing solar panels, always consider existing trees and that they may still be growing.

For questions, more information and to apply for an environmental permit, go to the Procedure for applying or reporting an environmental permit page. When applying, look for the following form in the Omgevingsloket under ‘activities’: Tree felling or standing timber felling – Permit application (local authority).

Felling a listed (protected) tree

• 1 listed or valuable tree costs € 398.52.
• Two to five listed or valuable trees cost a single payment of € 797.05.
• Six or more listed or valuable trees cost a single payment of € 1,195.59.

This is the cost of applying for the permit. Compensation costs may be added to this.

Do not cut down monumental or valuable trees

• 10 to 50 listed or valuable trees cost a single payment of € 797.05.
• 51 or more listed or valuable trees cost a single payment of € 1,195.59.

This is the cost of applying for the permit. Compensation costs may be added to this.

Additional information

Have the trees already been cut down or are they being cut down without an environmental permit? If so, the costs listed above will be increased by 50%.

The following regulations can be found on the website Overheid.nl (local):

• List of monumental and valuable trees City of Leeuwarden 2023.
• Detailed rules on trees and compensatory greenery.
• General Municipal Bylaw. Section 3; preserving standing timber (3).
• Section 11.3 Decree on living environment activities.