Other Contract
Tree Preservation Bond
A tree preservation bond is a bond a city requires from a developer or builder to protect, relocate, or replace protected trees on a construction site.
- Required by
- City planning, zoning, or urban forestry departments
- Bond amount
- Set by whoever requires the bond. We confirm it.
What this bond guarantees
The bond promises the city (the obligee) that protected trees will survive construction or be replaced as the tree permit requires. If bonded trees are damaged, removed, or die during the monitoring period, the city claims against the bond to pay for replacement. The developer repays the surety.
Who needs it
- Developers and homebuilders
- Contractors working near protected trees
- Property owners with a tree removal or relocation permit
What the underwriter looks at
- Appraised value of protected trees
- Contractor or developer financial strength
- Credit
- Length of monitoring period
Requirements vary by state and by who asks for the bond. Send us the request you received and we will confirm exactly what it calls for.
Common questions
How is the bond amount set?
Usually by the value of the trees to be kept or relocated, or the cost to replace them. In Miami, for example, the bond equals the value of the specimen trees covered by the tree permit.
When do I get the bond released?
After the city confirms the trees survived or replacements took hold. Many cities hold the bond for one to three years after work ends.