ABSTRACT
Among the variety of factors that affect the protection of urban trees, such as public awareness, population density and level of development, legal regulation has an important role. In this chapter, I focus on the protection of street trees under Israeli law and on its implementation. A recent report indicates that more than 375,000 urban trees were removed by license in Israel between 2013 and 2018, a yearly average of more than 60,000 trees. The effectiveness of legal protection depends on three key factors beyond the law itself: (1) the actors who issue permits, (2) the process they follow and (3) enforcement of sanctions against offenders. Looking at these factors may enhance understanding of where improvement can be made in the links within the legal protection of street trees in Israel.
