BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Certain trees in Bellingham will see new protections to prevent them from being removed.

The Bellingham City Council approved an Emergency Landmark Tree Ordinance Monday, May 20 that will take effect immediately.

It deems any healthy tree with a trunk diameter of 36 inches or more a “landmark tree.”

Trees that are considered “historically significant” or serve a significant benefit to wildlife can also be nominated as landmark trees.

No one can remove, damage or harm those protected trees unless their reason meets a certain set of criteria stated in the ordinance.

Anyone who violates those terms will be charged between $800 and $5,000 for each instance.

The city said it was notified by several “industry professionals” that they were seeing increased demand for tree removals after it shared a proposed draft of the protection ordinance with the public in April.

That lead the city council to take emergency action on the ordinance Monday to prevent more landmark trees from being damaged or removed.

The emergency ordinance will remain in effect for six months or until the city council amends it.

A public hearing on the case is required to be scheduled within 60 days of the May 20 adoption date.