Cutting down trees

A tree whose trunk circumference exceeds 65 cm (measured at 1.30 m above the ground) usually requires a felling licence. There are exceptions. See ‘permit-free felling’.

By felling, we mean cutting down, felling and uprooting trees. But felling a dead tree, transplanting a tree and firm pruning also fall under felling.

This applies both inside and outside built-up areas, and also to trees in gardens or yards.

You do not need a permit for felling if it involves:

• A tree whose trunk has a circumference of 65 cm or less at a height of 1.30 metres above the ground. For a tree with multiple trunks, measure the thickest trunk.

This does not apply to a tree planted under replanting obligation or a special tree. Cutting down these trees always requires a permit.

Note that in the outlying area, a notification requirement for felling applies in certain cases, regardless of the size of the tree (see below).

• Trees and shrubs grown commercially for harvesting fruit, nuts or fruits;

• Wood stands (a row of trees) forming windbreaks around commercially operated orchards
• Conifers grown to serve as Christmas trees, if not older than 20 years;
• Nursery stock; trees grown for the purpose of trading;
• The periodic felling of coppice to carry out regular maintenance. It involves the re-felling of trees that are part of a plot specifically laid out for timber production. The stump remains and grows out again and again.

• The periodic topiary, pollarding or candelabrumming of previously pollarded or candelabrumbed woody stands. Note: if you are going to do this for the first time, you do need to apply for a permit. Candling is strong pruning of the crown.

• Thinning: felling or grubbing which is done only as a grooming measure to promote the growth of the remaining trees. So removing trees and/or shrubs that are too close together. This means thinning should only be done to give space to the remaining trees (especially the tree crowns). The perimeter of the stand must remain intact. In other words, the tree stand may not become smaller.

Outside built-up areas - in addition to our General Bye-Law - the Environment Ordinance of the Province of Gelderland also applies. This states that a notification requirement applies to the felling outside built-up areas of:

• trees standing in a forest plot of more than 10 acres (1000 m2);
• trees forming part of a tree row of 20 or more trees.

This also applies to the felling of one tree, regardless of its size, if that tree is part of such a forest plot or row of trees.

In that case, you do not need a permit from the municipality, but you must submit a notification to the Province of Gelderland 6 weeks prior to the intended felling. The province of Gelderland will handle the notification. You can assume that the province will impose an obligation to replant.

Whether a plot is inside or outside the built-up area can be found at the ‘felling permit requirement’ map’.

For more information on the notification requirement, please refer to the Province website.

If you are unsure whether you need a felling licence and/or other permit, you can do a permit check in the Environment counter. By answering the questions, you can check whether you can carry out your plans permit-free in the chosen location. Or whether you still need to apply for a permit or make a notification.

Instructions at Permit Check

Select in the environment counter the Permit Check tab and type the word ‘tree’ in the search field. Then click on the word ‘tree’ in the list. A list of activities associated with the word ‘tree’ will now appear. Select ‘maintain or remove tree or planting’. If you are also going to remove the roots of the tree, also select ‘Digging in soil or water bottom’.

Answering questions in Permit Check

Here you will find questions from all levels of government (national, provincial, municipal and water board). Depending on the chosen location, you will find more or fewer questions than at another location.

• If you get a question in the permit check about whether the tree is inside or outside the development contour logging refers to whether the tree is inside or outside the built-up area. Whether a plot is inside or outside the built-up area can be found on the map ‘duty to harvest’.
• Because of protected animals or plants, the central government has prepared several questions. These questions start by asking whether you have had a nature study carried out in the past 3 years. Is this not the case? Then go through the follow-up questions on the Protected Species Indicator (BeSI). BeSI allows you to see whether protected animals or plants are present at your chosen site. BeSI provides a PDF report that you can use to answer the follow-up questions.
• Water boards can also ask questions about tree felling.

Result of the Permit Check

As an outcome on the licence check, an action list appears. Follow the instructions on the action list. Multiple actions may be required. And in many cases, you will also be advised to contact the municipality because of potentially present protected animal or plant species.

Is the outcome: get in touch, or don't quite get there? Then take contact with us.

Felling ban in the environment plan

It may be that there is a prohibition on felling in the environment plan and that felling is only allowed if a “environmental permit for the environment plan activity construction works” has been granted. This is especially common in the case of designated Special trees, in green zoning or forest and nature zoning. You will then need this “environmental plan activity permit for construction” together with the environmental plan activity permit for felling or provincial notification. For this, check the environment plan whether your desired activity is allowed at the location. If you cannot find it, you can ask your question at the City Hall desk. Or make a telephone appointment.

Protection of birds and other animals

You may only cut down a tree if you are sure that it does not contain a nest or permanent residence (as e.g. in tree cavities) of animals (including birds). This is regardless of whether you have (or need) a permit. Protection of animals and their habitats is stipulated in the Environment Act.

The breeding season of (singing) birds is mainly between 15 March and 15 July, so it is better not to cut during this period. But birds can also breed in trees outside this period. Before felling, always check whether nests are present and whether they have definitely been abandoned. It is also possible that birds or other animals such as owls, squirrels, flying deer and bats stay in trees all year round or return every year. In that case, you may not cut down the tree without getting prior permission from the province of Gelderland.

If so, you will also need an environmental permit for the Flora and Fauna activity. The Province of Gelderland will assess this application. More information can be found on the website of the province of Gelderland and the Environment counter. We advise you to apply for the permit for the Flora and Fauna activity first.

You may want to cut down a tree because you want to build and need an environmental plan activity building and construction activity permit (or construction notification) to do so. Or you may want to cut down a tree to make a driveway and also need a driveway permit. If this applies to you, we advise you to apply for these permits at the same time so that they can be assessed in conjunction.

Permit-free construction

Sometimes you do not need a permit to build. But if there is a tree on the desired building site that requires a felling permit, we do not automatically issue the felling permit. We will examine whether the tree can be preserved by adjusting the building plans.

Applying for this environmental licence is via the environment counter You will need DigiD or Ereckenning for this.

You choose the ‘applications’ tab and enter ‘felling’ as the keyword. Then choose the activity: ‘felling a tree’ And then fill in the form, adding the requested attachments, clearly showing exactly what the application is about.

• photographs per tree to be felled showing: the type of tree, the condition of the tree, and the location of the tree
• indicate per tree: what kind of tree it is, what the girth of the tree is (measured at a height of 1.30 above the ground) and the reason why you want to cut it down
• A 1:500 or 1:1000 scale situational drawing (or a clear aerial photograph) showing:
  • clear position of the tree/trees you want to cut down. For multiple trees, number the trees
  • if there are several trees on the plot, clearly indicate which trees you do and do not want to cut down
  • the site drawing must show the property boundaries and buildings and the distances of the trees to be felled from the property boundary or buildings
  • if you are replanting/replacing, indicate the location and species of the new tree
  • A replanting plan.
• if you are not the owner of the tree: a written permission from the owner of the tree

Sometimes needed:

• The felling of your tree(s) should not have a negative impact on other trees in the immediate vicinity. Sometimes, therefore, a Tree Impact Analysis (BEA) must be provided, describing the effects of the felling on the other trees and proposing measures if necessary. A BEA must be drawn up by an expert. If a BEA needs to be drawn up, you will be informed after submitting the permit application.

Applications submitted incompletely cause delays in processing. Therefore, please answer all the questions asked and include the requested attachments. We communicate about the application through email. Therefore, please include the applicant's email address and phone number in the application form.

To assess whether or not the tree/trees may be felled, the municipality's tree specialist will come to your site and enter your plot while doing so. We advise you to mark the tree/trees to be felled with a clearly visible ribbon around the trunk, so that there can be no misunderstanding about which tree/trees it is.

Apeldoorn is a green municipality and we want to keep it that way. Felling permits are only granted if there is a good reason to do so. When assessing the case, we will weigh up the general interest in preserving trees against your interest in felling the tree. It is therefore important to state clearly in your application why you want to fell the tree(s).

In balancing interests, the municipality uses the following values to assess what the public interest of a tree is:

• natural and environmental values;
• landscape values;
• cultural-historical values;
• values of town and village beauty;
• values for recreation, education, climate adaptation and liveability

Your application may lead to a permit. Conditions may be attached to this, such as a replanting obligation. The application may also be refused; the reasons will be given in the decision.

Special trees and trees of the future

Some trees in Apeldoorn are so valuable that they have been designated as Special Trees or Future Trees. Special trees are at least 80 years old and have the greatest significance for our municipality. Future trees are younger trees designated because of their future value, the special trees of the future. On the card authorisation requirement can be seen which trees these are. An application to fell these special trees will usually be refused. Only a tree that causes serious danger or serious nuisance, or if a major social interest outweighs preserving the tree, an application may possibly lead to a permit.’

You may not start felling immediately after the permit has been granted. You must wait at least 4 weeks. Interested parties, such as local residents, can object to the permit. To prevent irreversible consequences, the permit does not take effect until 4 weeks after it has been granted.

For nests and tree cavities: You may only cut down a tree if you are sure it does not contain a nest or a permanent home for animals. Check that before felling.

In dangerous situations, we may give permission to cut down immediately.

The cost of applying for a felling licence depends on the total trunk circumference and the number of trees.

• For the felling of 1 tree: minimum €43.07 to maximum €77.27 depending on the trunk circumference at a height of 1.30 metres.
• For cutting down multiple trees: maximum €211.62.

Please note: you pay a fee for processing an application for an environmental permit. Costs are also charged in the event of a refusal, withdrawal or abandonment of the application (because the application is incomplete). You will receive a fee assessment for this.