Orange County has begun work on its first-ever Urban Forest Master Plan, a roadmap meant to guide tree planting, protection and care across the county for the next 20-plus years. The plan will shape tree-friendly design standards for neighborhoods, roadways, business centers and other developed areas, arriving at a moment when the county's overall tree canopy sits at roughly 35 percent — but with most of that greenery concentrated in rural and conservation land rather than the fast-building suburban corridors where residents actually live.
That geographic imbalance is central to why officials are pursuing a formal, decades-long strategy now, according to West Orlando News. The master plan is part of the county's broader OC Loves Trees program, which launched on Arbor Day 2026 with the goal of inspiring appreciation for trees while protecting and expanding Orange County's canopy overall. County leaders frame a healthy urban forest as more than aesthetics — it provides shade, reduces heat, improves air quality, supports wildlife and makes neighborhoods greener, per the same outlet's reporting.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said trees are an important part of what makes Orange County a great place to live, work and visit, adding that the county can protect its tree canopy while planning for community growth. The plan is expected to be finalized by winter 2027, according to the report.
Horizon West Sits at the Center of the Canopy Fight
Nowhere is the tension between growth and greenery more visible than in Horizon West, one of the county's fastest-building unincorporated areas. The plan could influence how canopy is incorporated into future development in Horizon West, according to Horizon West Info. High-growth suburban submarkets like it face continuous land conversion from rural to developed uses, leaving little room for legacy tree cover unless new rules require builders to preserve it.
Those rules already have some teeth. Orange County's updated arbor ordinance, which took effect in March 2024, requires developers to preserve mature native trees or pay increased mitigation fees that directly fund public tree plantings under OC Loves Trees, per Horizon West Info's account. That ordinance replaced a tree protection framework that had been in place for more than two decades, according to Tree Services Marketing. To enforce the enhanced protections, the county doubled its dedicated arborist staff from three to six full-time employees, the outlet reports.
State Law Limits What the County Can Require on Private Land
The county's authority has real limits, however, once a tree sits on private residential property. Under Florida Statute 163.045, local governments statewide are prohibited from requiring permits, fees or mitigation for removing trees on single-family residential properties if a certified arborist or landscape architect documents that the tree poses an unacceptable risk, according to The Florida Legislature. That preemption means Orange County's canopy expansion effort leans heavily on land development regulations, municipal partnerships and voluntary resident participation rather than blanket mandates on homeowners.
Community input is set to shape the master plan directly. Residents can share ideas, ask questions and provide feedback through the Engage Orange community engagement portal, and can subscribe to the Urban Forest Master Plan project page for updates and participation opportunities, per West Orlando News.
Neighboring Orlando Has Its Own Tree Initiative
Orange County isn't working in isolation. The City of Orlando has its own One Person, One Tree initiative, according to the City of Orlando.
The physical kickoff of OC Loves Trees carried its own symbolism. Orange County officially launched tree planting for the program on Arbor Day 2026 by planting a ceremonial live oak, named the Demings Oak, at Great Oaks Village, according to WFTV.
Orange County spans Central Florida and includes the municipalities of Orlando, Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle and Eatonville, with the master plan expected to guide how all of them balance growth against green space for decades to come.
