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Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Tomorrow depends on us.

Sign the Petition

Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Tomorrow depends on us.

Sign the Petition

5 Significant Trees - No Permit Required

Bellevue's Policies

Stronger Regulations

Bellevue's Policies

Bellevue allows developers to cut down 5 Significant Trees without a permit and has no special protections for Landmark Trees which take 100-150 years to grow. Bellevue is the only city in the region with such lax policies. Residential areas of Bellevue have 65% of our city's tree canopy, and stricter regulations are needed to protect our neighborhoods livability and character. Trees4Livability is fighting to protect and enhance tree canopy for current and future residents of our city.

Get Involved >

Growth is Coming

Stronger Regulations

Bellevue's Policies

We are a city of transplants. We welcome people from all over the world. However, growth brings with it additional demand for housing - which under current laws - often results in senseless destruction of our tree canopy. We have millions of square feet of office space being built in downtown Bellevue. Large companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apptio are drawing new residents. Amazon's office, for example, will be completed in 2025, housing 25,000 jobs and increasing demand for housing. With increased development comes increased destruction of tree canopy with our current lax regulations. 

Now is the Time >

Stronger Regulations

Stronger Regulations

Stronger Regulations

Development does not need to come at expense of tree canopy. We can have a city with beautiful trees and more diverse housing options. We need 2000+ signatures to show the City Council we're serious about meaningful tree code changes in 2022! New development is coming, and without action this year we risk losing large numbers of Significant and Landmark Trees in our neighborhoods. We need your voice. Please sign and share our petition.

Sign the Petition >

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Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Support the Trees4Livability Tree Code Petition with our custom yard sign! 

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Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Support the Tree Code Petition with a Trees4Livability tee shirt. Available in a variety of styles in all sizes.

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Trees4Livability Stumped Tee - Men's & Women's

Trees4Livability Large Tree Tee - Men's & Women's

Trees4Livability Stumped Tee - Men's & Women's

Support the Tree Code Petition with a Trees4Livability tee shirt. Available in a variety of styles in all sizes.

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Trees4Livability Stumped Car Magnet

Trees4Livability Stumped Car Magnet

Trees4Livability Stumped Tee - Men's & Women's

Support the Tree Code Petition with a Trees4Livability car magnet.

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Trees4Livability Stumped Car Magnet

Trees4Livability Logo Car Magnet

Support the Tree Code Petition with a Trees4Livability car magnet.

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In the News

Safety and Canopy Concerns Prompt Bellevue Interim Tree Protections

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

Safety and Canopy Concerns Prompt Bellevue Interim Tree Protections

The Urbanist

June 8, 2022

The City of Bellevue's interim tree protections require a permit for removal of landmark trees of 24 inches or greater in diameter. 

Read Article

'Trees4Livability' Pushes For Overhaul Of Bellevue's Tree Code

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

Safety and Canopy Concerns Prompt Bellevue Interim Tree Protections

Patch

April 21, 2022

Volunteers will be out this weekend recruiting support for their effort to strengthen Bellevue's protections for trees.

Read Article

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

Bellevue Reporter

April 21, 2022

“Every time I see that, it’s like a funeral,” said Jane Gershovich.

Read Article

Trees4Livability makes exciting progress on Bellevue Tree Codes

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

Bellevue native ‘disappointed’ over lack of tree protections after major tree removal

TreePAC Newsletter 

Spring 2022

Now you see it, now you don't. You're not crazy, trees are disappearing in Bellevue.

Read Article

7th-grader advocates for greater tree code protections in Bellevue

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

Bellevue Reporter 

March 31, 2022

“The longer we wait, the worse the problem will get,” said Laeth English.

Read Article

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

Trees4Livability Featured: Seattle Tightens Regulations on Tree Service Providers

The Urbanist 

March 30, 2022

In Bellevue, a group called Trees4Livability has begun advocating for increased tree protections, citing that the City of Bellevue’s policies are among the most lax in the Puget Sound region.

Read Article

Trees4Livability presents tree code recommendations to Bellevue City Council

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Bellevue Reporter 

March 28, 2022

“We will be the ones around to feel the effects of the actions you take now,” said Laeth English.

Read Article

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Bellevue Reporter 

March 15, 2022

According to Trees4Livability, Bellevue’s tree protections are the weakest in the region.

Read Article

Bellevue Nonprofit Seeks Signatures for Tree Protections

Local nonprofit to speak with Bellevue City Council about increasing tree protect

Bellevue Nonprofit Seeks Signatures for Tree Protections

Bellevue Business Journal 

March 10, 2022

Trees4Livability, a nonprofit focused on strengthening the City of Bellevue’s tree code, is gathering signatures to petition the City Council to take action to preserve the local tree canopy in 2022.

Read Article

Sign Our Community Petition

If you live or work in Bellevue, or just visit the area, sign our community petition to update Bellevue's Tree Codes in 2022. The button below will link you to a Google Form which we're using to capture and collate responses to demonstrate interest to City leaders. Students, please sign the Student Petition.

Sign the Community Petition

Our Partners

We are honored to work with community partners.

Save Our Scale (SOS) Bellevue
Bellevue Green & Clean
Brentwood Land Property Owners Association
People for Climate Action Bellevue
Earth & Climate Action Ministry East Shore Unitarian Church
Eastside Audobon
350 Eastside
300 Trees
TreePAC
Cascadia Climate Action
Amazon HQ2 will change the fact of Bellevue.

Now is the Time

Millions of Square Feet

We have millions of square feet of office space being built in downtown Bellevue. Large companies such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Symetra, T-Mobile, Appito, OfferUp, Smartsheet, and K2 attract new residents to Bellevue. Amazon's new office, for example, will be completed in 2025 and brings 25,000 jobs and significant demand for housing.  


We are a city of transplants. We welcome people from all over the world. We need new and more diverse housing options, but this does not need to come at the expense of our tree canopy. We need to strengthen tree codes in 2022 to preserve our city for current and future residents of Bellevue. Today, old homes are being torn down, and new larger homes are being built in their place. In the process, large quantities of significant trees are coming down. These trees take many decades - or in some cases, many lifetimes, to grow.   


In Bellevue, developers can cut down five significant trees without a permit. A significant tree is defined as 8" in diameter. These trees take approximately 25 - 45 years to grow. Additionally, we have no special protections for Landmark Trees that are 100 - 150 years old. Read more about this on the city's website.  


You can imagine how quickly these regulations could change the face of our community. You can see it, already...if you look around.



Bellevue's tree code needs to be updated to include:

  • Permits for all Significant or Landmark Tree removals
  • Minimum tree density requirements
  • Special protections for Landmark Trees
  • Replacement tree requirements
  • & More.


Detailed Recommendations >

The State of Bellevue's Trees

Watch our video to learn about the state of Bellevue's trees and how local tree retention regulations compare with nearby communities. Source: BellevueWa.gov.

What makes a tree significant?

Tree significance is determined by the diameter measured 4.5 feet from the ground.
Bellevue defines a significant tree as 8" in diameter...

These trees take 25 - 45 years to grow.

Other major municipalities in the Puget Sound region define significant trees as 6" in diameter. 

Significant trees in an Enatai backyard showing how Bellevue Trees appear.
Can you imagine...

5 Fewer Trees?

With 5 fewer trees, 50% of the trees from the pictured home would be gone. Imagine what a difference that would make in the feel of the street, the neighborhood, and the community.

Why Do Trees Matter?

When you stop to think about it, it's easy to see how trees benefit our community.

  • They are majestic and provide unique dimension and beauty to our neighborhoods.
  • They improve air quality, maintain ecosystems, mitigate the effect of wind and stormwater runoff.
  • They help reduce heating and cooling costs and enhance mental wellbeing.
  • While trees can be removed and replaced with new plantings, it takes many decades for young trees to reach maturity and match the benefits of existing trees.

The trees we are talking about protecting take 45 - 150 years to grow.

These trees are not replaceable within our lifetimes. Once they are gone, it is unlikely they will come back.

Get Involved

Now is the time to make a difference in our community. We have lots of ways for you to get involved, and we welcome all people. We need many voices to move our organization forward.

Get Involved

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