Morristown tree rules for homeowners

In Morristown, trees on town property or in the right of way are maintained only by the town tree crew, and residents may not prune them or hire an outside company. For private trees, ask the Department of Public Works at 973-292-6670 or the Shade Tree Commission whether removal needs approval or a replacement tree. Construction near kept trees falls under the town's 2017 tree protection policy.

Town trees belong to the town crew

The Shade Tree Commission is responsible for the regulation, planting and care of shade and ornamental trees and shrubs on public property. Trees in the public right of way or on town property are maintained by the designated Morristown tree crew, and the town says residents are not authorized to prune them or bring in an outside tree company. That usually includes trees in the strip between the sidewalk and the curb.

If a town tree is damaged, leaning or shedding limbs, report it through the town's report a concern page or call the Department of Public Works at 973-292-6670. The commission can be reached at [email protected] and meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 pm.

Private trees and the state replacement rule

For a tree on private land, check with the town before the removal. Under their municipal stormwater permits, New Jersey municipalities have been required since 2022 to adopt and enforce a community-wide ordinance on tree removal and replacement that reaches trees on private property, with a list of acceptable replacement species. Towns could write their own version or update an existing tree ordinance, so the details vary from place to place.

Because the answer depends on Morristown's current ordinance, ask the Department of Public Works or the Shade Tree Commission whether your removal needs approval or a replacement tree. A contractor who works in town regularly will often know the process, but it is worth hearing it from the town directly.

Trees during construction

In 2017 Morristown amended its Protection of Trees chapter with Ordinance O-25-2017, which created a Policy for Protection of Trees During Construction. If tree work is part of an addition, a new driveway or other building project, expect protection measures for the trees that stay. The Shade Tree Commission also advises the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Building Department on applications that involve tree preservation.

On Morristown's small lots this matters, because the tree being saved is often a few feet from the excavation. Ask the builder and the tree contractor how roots will be shielded from equipment and stockpiled soil.

Why the town guards its canopy

Morristown has been rebuilding its urban forest for more than a decade. In 2011 the town had never completed a street tree census, and brittle Bradford pears along South Street had just been removed during a sidewalk project, with plans to replant using several species so one pest could not wipe out the canopy. The commission now carries out a Community Forestry Management Plan, holds an annual Arbor Day planting, and in 2026 secured state funding to plant nearly 500 trees.

After a storm

Severe storms have hit Morristown's trees hard. A thunderstorm on July 14, 2016 brought down so many trees and limbs at Fort Nonsense that the site stayed closed until the Washington Association of New Jersey paid more than $10,000 for the cleanup. After a storm, keep a private crew to private trees, report damaged town trees through the town, and stay well away from any wire that is down.

Common questions

Rules change. Confirm the current requirements with Morristown or the contractor before work starts.