1. Department of Business and Neighborhood Services
Renee Carty, B.E.S. manager

2. You know BNS is the Kinder…
…Gentler
department…

3. Well than, you are going to love our section!

4. Welcome to the Forestry Section of the Bureau of Environmental Services

5. Who is the Forestry Section of B.E.S.T.?
We enforce Chapter Trees and Flora of the Revised Code of the City of Indianapolis
Chapter 701
Oversee trees and flora in the City/County public right of way
Administer flora permits
Regulate the risk of private trees to the city’s right of way

6. What is a Flora Permit? Free Requires commitments Must be applied for
Continued watering
If you removing, normally you will be replanting
Reapplying chemicals
Stewardship projects – five years
Must be applied for
Application process takes 3-5 business days or (peak season) 7-10 business days

7. When to apply for a Flora Permit
Planting trees, shrubs or perennials
Pruning flora
Removing flora
Chemically treating or fertilizing a perennial or tree
On City Property

8. Flora permits keep you from…

9. How do I check if a tree is on the city’s property?
If you are unsure if the tree or perennial is in the city’s right of way or not, and an inspector will inspect to determine if the flora is in right of way or on private property
If you have concerns as to whether or not you need a flora permit,

10. Taking care of private trees
No Flora Permit required for working on private trees

11. Construction Care The cost and care of preventing tree damage during
protects our
assets.
The key to tree
preservation is
protecting the root system from damage.
Causes Root Damage
Excavation,
Grade changes,
Traffic,
Material storage (including soil)

12. Heritage trees Chapter 744 Article 5 Purpose
foster aesthetically pleasing, environmentally beneficial, and sustainable development
minimize the harmful impact of noise, dust and other debris,
increase the attractiveness and long-term value;
encourage the preservation of significant trees that will help absorb CO2emissions

13. Heritage Trees
The Heritage Tree Conservation provisions apply to all development or redevelopment on lots and parcels in any zoning district that contain (i) more than 20,000 square feet of lot area, and (ii) a primary structure with a use other than those described in Section A., as well as to any new lot of record, regardless of the primary use of the property, in all zoning districts.

14. Removal of any heritage tree is prohibited unless:
The tree is dead, significantly and terminally diseased, a threat to public health or safety, or is of an undesirable or nuisance species.
The tree interferes with the provision of public services or is a hazard to traffic.
The location of the tree is preventing development or redevelopment that cannot be designed to protect the tree.

15. Recap Flora permits are free Flora permit needed to work on City trees
Care for the city trees nearby or the ones you have planted
Private trees matter, too
Heritage tree program

16. Questions?