Heritage Trees Get Special Protection Across Province

The government has implemented the Public Parks, Greenbelts and Green Areas Protection & Regulated Emergency Transplantation Regulations 2026 across the province to grant special protected status to ecologically significant trees. This legislation aims to prevent the cutting down of large, old, and environmentally crucial trees.

Under these new rules, any tree with a trunk exceeding 36 inches in width or an age of 30 years or more is designated a 'heritage tree.' Such trees can only be disturbed if there is a significant safety risk or severe disease, requiring approval from a Technical Committee. This committee, composed of independent experts, will review all requests for removal, pruning, or transplantation.

A public digital register of all heritage trees, including their GPS locations and photographs, will be maintained online. The regulations mandate that transplantation be considered before removal. For each tree felled, at least 20 new saplings must be planted, and this number increases to 50 if a transplanted tree dies. All replacement trees must be native, climate-resilient species and are to be maintained for at least three years.

Arboricultural Impact Assessments are now mandatory for major development projects that could impact existing trees, evaluating potential damage and outlining mitigation strategies. Uniform technical standards will be established for tree transplantation and protection during construction. Furthermore, a province-wide Geographic Information System (GIS) will be developed to create a detailed inventory and enable real-time monitoring of urban trees.

The regulations also impose strict measures to safeguard public parks and green belts from encroachment and exploitation. Limited commercial use of parks will be allowed temporarily, provided it does not harm ecological balance or recreational value. No construction or development project can proceed without a written No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant horticulture agency, issued only after technical review.

A transparent, time-bound grievance redressal system will be established, requiring the PHA to act on complaints within 15 days. Dedicated tree officers will be appointed to inspect trees, maintain records, and enforce compliance. Violations can lead to imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to Rs500,000, or both. These regulations came into force immediately. A similar framework protects the Lahore Canal stretch under the 2013 Lahore Canal Heritage Act.