Natural Forest Community Permit

Natural Forest Community (NFC) protection and preservation helps ensure that these habitats and their associated rare plants, animals and geologic features remain part of Miami-Dade County’s natural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The permitting process is necessary to eliminate avoidable impacts and minimize unavoidable impacts to trees and associated understory plant communities within Natural Forest Communities, maintaining their health and thus the benefits they provide. The aim is to maximize, to the greatest extent possible, the preservation and management of all County-designated NFCs.

In Miami-Dade County, any activity that results in the removal or damage to any vegetation in a designated Natural Forest Community, including impacts to any tree, shrub or groundcover plant, requires an NFC permit.

Forests are dynamic communities, with boundaries that could change under natural circumstances. A formal delineation to identify or confirm the boundaries of the NFC on a property may be requested through the Division of Environmental Resources Management's (DERM) Tree and Forest Resources Section.

This delineation will include an environmental assessment of the NFC utilizing a Quantitative Scorecard, which is then utilized to map out the current boundary of the NFC. The cost of the delineation is based on the zoning of the property and its size.

To request a formal delineation, submit a letter signed by the property owner requesting the delineation, that includes the address and folio number of the property to be delineated, and email it to [email protected].
In Miami-Dade County, any work that occurs within a designated Natural Forest Community, including impacts to any tree, shrub or groundcover plant, as well as the removal of exotic plants, requires a Natural Forest Community Permit. There are two different types of NFC permits: NFC Removal and NFC Exotic Removal Permit.

The NFC Removal Permit is a permit that allows for the clearing of NFC that results in a permanent impact. This permit is for property owners who wish to develop their property within the limitations outlined in Chapter 24-49 of the Miami-Dade County Code. The percentage of the NFC that may be approved for removal must be justified by the property owner based on the reasonable use of the property.

The NFC Exotic Removal Permit is a no-fee permit that allows for exotic vegetation removal work and other management activities to be conducted within the NFC.

Submit a completed permit application form, along with the initial fee, via the online application submittal portal.