Trees are essential to neighborhood health. When property owners remove a tree, it can increase erosion and flooding as well as heat, pollution, wind, and noise for neighbors all around. Preserving trees protects people’s health and property.
When property owners aren’t careful to protect their neighbors’ trees, a construction, tree removal, or fence project can damage a neighboring tree’s roots, reducing nutrient and water uptake. Damaged roots weaken a tree, causing structural instability (e.g., falling over), vulnerability to disease, or decline and premature death.
Mothers Out Front Newton (MOFN) supports the goal of Newton’s Tree Preservation Ordinance (TPO) to promote public health and climate resilience by preserving trees. MOFN’s Climate Action Campaign has been dedicated to raising awareness of the health and climate benefits of mature trees.
Improving Newton’s Tree Rules
After a year of study, MOFN proposed seven recommendations for enhancing Newton’s TPO and to make its requirements more fair, consistent, and less confusing for property owners.
MOFN’s recommendations include extending the courtesy of notification about a planned tree removal to all neighbors and promoting best design practices for low-impact development, especially in areas where the water table is high.
Currently, Newton requires three types of tree permits but only two types require applicants to notify neighbors about plans to cut down a tree. (See permit application information here.)
While all permit applicants are responsible for protecting abutters’ trees, the most common type of Tree Permit—the Exempt Permit— does not inform neighbors, so most Newton residents affected by tree removal do not receive any notice. MOFN recommends extending neighbor notification from 2 to all 3 permit types so that the City informs all neighbors about major projects that can affect their property and quality of life.
Sharing information can avoid the surprise when a tree service bucket truck shows up and branches start falling. When neighbors share the Tree Protection Plan, they can cooperate to ensure that work on one property does not harm neighbors’ trees. For more information, see Protect Newton Trees.
Building a More Climate-Resilient Newton
Promoting an informed neighborhood increases community good will and promotes climate resilience. We urge our City Councilors on the Program and Services Committee to support Docket #26-26 that requests that notification be consistent across all three types of Tree Permit.
— Mothers Out Front Newton
Judy Boroschek, Cindy Callaway, Barbara Divitto, Ellie Goldberg, Melanie Renaud, Jan Saglio, Jenna Wang
The Newton City Council’s Programs and Services Committee will discuss the notification process for tree permit applications on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 7pm.
Community Voice expresses the opinion of the individual writer and is not necessarily an endorsement by Green Newton.