NHDES Shoreland Assessments
The Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (SWQPA) protects a 150-foot wide vegetated buffer along all public waters in the state of New Hampshire. This buffer is further divided into the Waterfront Buffer (0-50 feet from shore) and the Natural Woodland Buffer (50-150 feet from shore). The SWQPA regulates the activities that can occur within these buffers, including cutting trees. These regulations are enforced by the NH Department of Environmental Services.
The rules state that within the Natural Woodland Buffer, at least 25% of vegetation must remain in an unaltered state. Within the 50′ Waterfront Buffer, regulations are a bit tighter. Ground cover generally must be left intact, and trees and saplings can only be removed under certain criteria. To determine which trees may be removed and which must be left, Martin Forestry Consulting, LLC, can perform an NHDES Shoreland Assessment. To do this, the 50′ Waterfront Buffer is divided into 50’x50′ segments along the length of the landowner’s shoreline. Each tree within a segment is evaluated and scored a point value, and total point value is established for each segment. Trees are scored as follows:
Diameter of Tree / Sapling Score
1 to 3 inches 1 pt
3+ to 6 inches 5 pts
6+ to 12 inches 10 pts
12+ inches 15 pts
Within a segment, at least 50 points must be maintained. If a tree is dead, diseased, or dying and threatens nearby structures or other trees, it is exempt from the points system and may be removed. Documentation is recommended prior to removing any exempt trees; a forester is a licensed authority that can confirm or deny whether a tree is in fact dead, diseased, or dying and presents a threat.
If there are trees of concern that you would like removed from your shore front property, we can assess them for you to determine if they qualify as dead, diseased, or dying, or if a full point-system evaluation is required to determine which trees may be removed.