The new year will bring some new protections for trees in South Portland. An ordinancetakes effect that South Portland Planning Director Milan Nevajda says has been in the works for 3 years.
Under the new rules, approval will be needed for removal of multiple trees that are larger, older, historic or trees that might be given to the city with promises that they'll be maintained.
Nevajda says councilors became convinced of the many values of trees.
"It was the ecosystem value, the climate resilience value, the heat reduction value, the property value associated with having mature trees in a neighborhood," he says.
Nevajda says the new ordinance is not aimed at individual homeowners planning to remove a single tree on their property.