WJTCA Hazard Management Permits
CDFW is pleased to announce that Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act Hazard Management Permits are now available!
These permits are issued to property owners for the purpose of removing or trimming dead western Joshua trees or trimming living western Joshua trees if each dead tree or live or dead limb to be removed meets at least one of the following conditions:
- Has fallen over and are within 30 feet of a structure.
- Is leaning against an existing structure.
- Creates an imminent threat to public health or safety.
To apply for a free permit, visit the WJT Conservation Permitting website to download a copy of the application form and submit it, along with photos of the tree(s) and/or limb(s) proposed for trimming/removal, to WJTHazardPermit@wildlife.ca.gov. For more information on how to apply please visit WJT Hazard Management Permits.
With a hazard management permit, a dead western Joshua tree that is detached or a detached limb may be removed by the property owner. Trimming or removal of attached western Joshua trees must be completed by a desert native plant specialist.
Under the WJTCA, a desert native plant specialist is defined as an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), or an individual with at least five years of professional experience with relocation or restoration of native California desert vegetation. Certified arborists can be found on the ISA website at: Find an Arborist (treesaregood.org). A professional native California desert plant relocation or restoration specialist can usually be found working for landscaping companies or environmental consulting firms throughout Southern California.
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To remove, relocate, or trim non-hazard trees, a WJTCA Incidental Take Permit or California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit will be required. We are currently finalizing the WJTCA Incidental Permit application materials and it is expected to be made available soon. In the meantime, please visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Western Joshua Tree website for more information.
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