Trees enhance the natural beauty of the City, sustain long-term potential increases in property values. They are dynamic ecosystems that provide critical benefits to people and wildlife. Urban forests help to filter air and water, control storm water, conserve energy, and provide animal habitat and shade. They add beauty, form, and structure to urban design. By reducing noise, increasing oxygen output of the area to combat air pollution, and providing places to recreate, urban forests strengthen social cohesion, spur community revitalization, and add economic value to our communities.

It is important to preserve and grow our urban forests to help enhance and protect our community for generations to come.

In order to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the City, the City Council found it necessary to enact regulations governing the removal and preservation of certain trees on private and public property within the City in addition to the planting and maintenance of street trees within new and already established developments.

The City of West Sacramento has a Tree Ordinance in place to protect our urban forest from practices that serve to permanently damage or remove trees without proper cause, especially those trees classified as Landmark or Heritage Trees.

Permits are required if you desire to modify or remove a tree that is protected or managed by the city. Mitigation is required if desiring to remove a heritage tree through the planting of additional trees or paying an in leu fee.

Please see the Tree Permit and Tree Ordinance for details on trees requiring permits and/or mitigation.

 If you are not sure if you do or do not need a Tree Permit Application; please refer to the tree permit  then give us a call with any further questions at (916) 617-4620.

The City of West Sacramento sponsors a shade tree program in which the City supplies shade trees and stakes to City residents to help improve the urban forest and tree canopy within the City. A list of readily available trees can be found here.

Residents can request up to two shade trees per year. Tree deliveries are made twice annually, once in the end of April in conjunction with Arbor Day celebrations, the second at the end of September. The cut-off dates for orders are a month prior to delivery (end of March for the April delivery, end of August for the September delivery).

To request a free shade tree for your West Sacramento residence, please send an email to David at treepermits@vbj4.com. Subject: "Shade Tree Request". Please include your name, address and species requested, or if needed, we can help you with species recommendations.

A single tree staking system will be provided with every tree every tree delivered to residents for planting in their own yards. Watch the following video to learn more about these stakes and how their proper use: Single Tree Staking Systems.

Please see the following guides for tips on how to plant and care for your trees as well as how to prune your young trees for proper structure and form. We support the planting of 5 million new trees in our region by the year 2025.

• University of California- Integrated Pest Management guide
• Sacramento Valley Urban Forests Council resources page
• Drought and trees- CUFC