About
Methodology & sources
Seattle Canopy Watch is an independent civic project. We are not affiliated with the City of Seattle. We collect City open data, keep a dated history of every change, and present it so residents can find notices near them.
Sources
SDCI Tree Public Notices
Notices filed by registered tree service providers before removals and other reportable tree work. Includes address, provider, counts of trees to remove, and the earliest date work may begin.
11,738 records · last synced Oct 14, 2026, 2:45 PM PDT
SDCI Permit Tree Tracking
Individual trees recorded as removed under construction and land use permits, with species, trunk diameter and tree tier.
8,362 records · last synced Oct 14, 2026, 2:45 PM PDT
Work dates vs. deadlines
Each notice lists an earliest proposed work date: the first day work may legally begin after the required notice period (6 business days for removals, 3 for other reportable work). It is not a deadline for residents.
Comment periods and appeal rights apply only to certain permits, such as land use decisions, and their dates are set on the official City record. The notice feed publishes no deadlines. We show a deadline only after verifying it against an official source, and we display that source alongside it. Otherwise we say plainly that no deadline is published.
Work dates that are missing, more than two years in the past, or more than a year ahead are flagged as date issues and excluded from "upcoming" counts.
How we refresh data
- A scheduled job runs daily, fetches every page from each City source, and verifies the record count.
- Each run stores a source snapshot (count, checksum, timing) for auditing.
- Changed records get a history entry listing exactly which fields changed.
- Records that disappear from the City feed are marked missing, not deleted.
- If a source returns far fewer records than expected, the run aborts without changing anything.
| Started | Source | Status | Fetched | New / changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:45 PM PDT | sdci-permit-trees-removed | succeeded | 8,362 | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:45 PM PDT | sdci-tree-notices | succeeded | 11,738 | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:23 PM PDT | sdci-permit-trees-removed | succeeded | 8,362 | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:23 PM PDT | sdci-tree-notices | succeeded | 11,738 | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:23 PM PDT | sdci-permit-trees-removed | succeeded | 8,362 | 8,362 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 2026, 2:22 PM PDT | sdci-tree-notices | succeeded | 11,738 | 11,733 / 0 |
Official City resources
Agencies and organizations in Seattle's urban forest
Several City departments share responsibility for Seattle's trees. Knowing which one owns a tree is the fastest way to the right answer. Listing here does not imply any partnership with Seattle Canopy Watch.
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections SDCI
- Administers the Tree Protection Code on private property, publishes tree public notices and permit tree records, and handles tree violation complaints.
- Seattle Department of Transportation SDOT
- Its Urban Forestry team regulates street trees in the public right-of-way, which are permitted separately from SDCI tree notices.
- Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment OSE
- Coordinates the City's urban forest policy and canopy cover assessments.
- Seattle Urban Forestry Commission UFC
- Advises the Mayor and City Council on urban forest policy, including tree protection rules.
- Trees for Seattle
- The City's urban forest program, home of canopy cover data and tree planting resources.
- Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Manages trees in City parks and natural areas.
- Seattle City Light
- Prunes and removes trees near power lines as part of vegetation management.
- Seattle Public Utilities SPU
- Manages trees on drainage, watershed and utility land.
- Seattle City Council
- Adopts and amends the Tree Protection Code (SMC 25.11).
- Green Seattle Partnership
- A City and Forterra partnership restoring forested parkland with volunteers.
- Forterra
- Regional land conservation nonprofit and co-founder of the Green Seattle Partnership.
Who runs this
Seattle Canopy Watch is an independent civic transparency project made possible by Serpens Inc., publishers of Miami Canopy Watch. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of Seattle; official records and decisions remain with SDCI.