Cutting down thuja trees without a permit can be quite expensive! Although it may seem like an innocent encroachment on your own garden, it can have unpleasant legal consequences.
Many of us like to enhance our gardens, and it often happens that certain trees no longer suit you or get in the way of other plans. In such cases, a decision will be made that you would like to remove them.
However, it is not as simple as it might seem at first impression, whether it is a mature tree or a thuja. Czech legislation has relatively strict rules in this area, and their violation can have very unpleasant consequences. What is it specifically, what does the law say and how is it in the case of thuja?
Do you want to learn interesting information about permits for felling trees? Watch an interesting YouTube video on the KOLEM DOMU channel:
Source: Youtube
When a felling permit is not required
The basic rule is that a permit is generally required to cut trees growing outside the forest. Exceptions are trees that have less than 80 cm in trunk circumference at a height of 130 cm above the ground and are not part of a significant landscape element or tree line. Furthermore, you do not need to apply for a permit for fruit trees growing on land in a built-up area that is maintained as a garden. Felling, however, is only permitted during the dormant season, i.e. from November 1 to March 31.
Tuje and the law
Tujas belong to conifers and are often planted in gardens as hedges. If you decide to cut them down in your own garden, it is first necessary to assess their actual dimensions. As long as it does not exceed the parameters mentioned above and they are not part of a significant landscape feature, you can in principle cut them down without a permit. However, exceptions apply here too and you need to make sure of the specific situation on your property.
Amount of fines
Illegal felling of trees carries heavy fines. Their specific amount depends on the seriousness of the offense and can reach up to several tens of thousands of crowns. In the case of cutting down a large number of trees or those that are part of an important landscape feature, the fine can be much higher.
What to do if you are not sure
If you are in doubt as to whether you need a permit to cut down trees, contact the relevant municipal authority or the locally relevant environmental department of the regional authority. The responsible staff will provide you with the necessary information and advise you on exactly how to proceed.
Resources: www.tachovsky.denik.cz, www.portal.gov.cz, www.cizp.cz
