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1. Do I need a permit to cut down trees in my yard?

Removal of one or two individual trees to protect life or property is allowed without a permit or plan. Photos should be taken of the trees before they are removed to document why they needed to be removed. The stumps should remain in place wherever possible to limit the amount of disturbed area.

The removal of trees in an area 5,000 square feet or greater may require a Tree Conservation Plan. Contact the Environmental Planning Section at 301-952-3650 for information related to the requirements.

2. Do I need a Tree Conservation Plan or can I receive a waiver?

A site is EXEMPT from the Woodland Ordinance if:
- It is less than 40,000 square feet in area and does not have a previously approved Tree Conservation Plan
- It contains less than 10,000 square feet of woodland at this time and does not have a previously approved Tree Conservation Plan
- It is within the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Area (CBCA); note that activities within the Critical Area may require a CBCA Conservation Plan

The proposed activity is EXEMPT from the Ordinance if:
- It will result in a cumulative disturbance of less than 5,000 square feet of woodland during the next 5 years and does not have a previously approved Tree Conservation Plan
- It is logging or a timber harvest on agriculturally assessed land and a Declaration of Intent has been provided

For more information, please call 301-952-3650.

3. What information do I need to apply for an exemption?

The information needed includes a site plan that clearly shows what activity is proposed for the property, the limit of disturbance for the proposed activity, the location of the woodlands on the property, a vicinity map showing where the property is located, and a completed application form.

Applications can be made in person or by mail. To apply in person, come to the 4th floor of the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. To apply by mail send the necessary information to:
Environmental Planning Section
Countywide Planning Division
M-NCPPC
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

Faxed applications can be sent to 301-952-3799 and must include a completed application form and plans at a legible scale.

For more information, please call 301-952-3650.

4. What environmental information is available on the web?

Many different maps are available on the web at www.pgatlas.com. The maps are intended to provide general information for research purposes only. All maps, imagery and associated data are intended to provide general information and are not to be used as a recognized reference or for official purposes. M-NCPPC assumes no responsibility for the use, implementation, or derivation of information or graphics from the GIS web site or as otherwise stated.

Some of the environmental information available includes:
- Streams, wetlands and FEMA floodplains
- Slopes and Marlboro clay
- Tree conservation plans
- Aerial photographs

For more information, please call 301-952-3650.

5. Is my property in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area?

The Chesapeake Bay Critical Area in Prince George's County is found along the Patuxent, Potomac, and Anacostia Rivers and includes land and water within 1,000 feet of the mean high tide line. On the Anacostia River the Critical Area extends north to the Decatur Street Bridge and the 38th Street Bridge. On the Patuxent River, the Critical Area extends upriver to Queen Anne's Bridge. Detailed maps are available at the Planning Information Services counter in the Lower Level County Administration Building.

For more information, please call 301-952-3650.

6. Are there wetlands on my property?

There are no maps or other resources that accurately show all of the wetlands in Prince George's County. Staff of the Countywide Planning Division can look at in-house information, such as the Maryland Nontidal Wetland Guidance Maps and the types of soils indicated in the Soils Survey and make an educated guess about the possible presence or absence of wetlands on a site. A full determination can only be made by having someone trained in wetland identification make a field visit. Staff of the Environmental Planning Section will not visit a property unless an application has been submitted through the development review process and appears to be insufficient for review.

For more information, please call 301-952-3650.

7. Is there a floodplain on my property?

A 100-year floodplain is the area that will be inundated by a flood that has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The Environmental Planning Section has copies of Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] maps and some individual watershed studies, which depict the approximate location of the existing 100-year floodplain. The FEMA maps are for insurance purposes only and are not used for land development because they do not account for future development. The official source for floodplain information is the Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation. Contact Lertchi Seebsitt at 301-883-5777.

8. My basement has flooded from all this rain! What can I do?

Please contact Prince George's County at County Click/311 Customer Service Center by dialing 311. Or place a service request for basement flooding at County Click 311.

9. How do I register my boat or obtain information about hunting and fishing licenses?

You may contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 301-855-1748.

10. When are the Hunter Safety Courses?

You can contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources about their Hunter Safety and Boating Safety course at 410-974-2040.

11. What can I do about nuisance or injured wildlife in or around my home?

Contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services at 1-800-442-0708 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office is very busy from April to August and if the phone is busy keep trying or leave a message after hours. This is an information office that will provide tips on why the animals may be present and what to do to resolve the problems. There is also information on Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators and Licensed Trappers if that is an appropriate course of action. This office does not deal with deer, bear or beaver in agricultural situations. If there is a deer problem with crop damage, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources should be contacted at 301-855-1748 about obtaining a permit for nuisance deer causing crop damage.