Gan Introduces New Tree Removal Fees and Replanting Requirements

Anyone seeking permission to cut down or uproot a tree or palm tree in Laamu Gan must pay MVR 100 per tree and provide a refundable MVR 2,000 security deposit under a new regulation introduced by the island council. 

The regulation, issued as Policy No. 2/2026 by the Laamu Gan Council on the government gazette, establishes controls on vegetation removal to protect Gan’s natural environment, coastal ecosystems and indigenous plant species.

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According to the announcement by the council, Applicants must plant at least two replacement trees for every tree removed, in addition to the MVR 100 per tree. Applicants must also pay an MVR 50 processing fee, while transporting each tree to another island will incur a minimum fee of MVR 25. All applicants must obtain written approval from the council before cutting down, uprooting or transporting trees or palms.

Under the new rules, permits will not be issued for tree removal within 20 metres of the high-tide coastal vegetation line, mangrove systems, wetlands, marshes or protected muddy areas. Vegetation within 20 metres of freshwater lakes, mangrove swamps and natural ponds is also protected.

The restrictions also cover historical and cultural sites, as well as endangered, protected and threatened native plant species listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The regulation requires additional documentation and inspections for projects involving the removal of more than 50 trees or palms. Large-scale land clearing exceeding 200 square feet, commercial clearing and projects covering more than 4,000 square feet must also meet environmental clearance and compliance requirements under national regulations and EPA guidelines.

The regulation also requires every tree approved for removal or relocation to carry a permanent identification label with a serial number. Any holes or trenches created during uprooting must be immediately refilled with clean sand and levelled. Dumping waste, marine debris or saline sediment into the holes is prohibited.

The rules provide additional protection for trees with a trunk circumference of 18 inches or more.

The council said that violations will be dealt with under Article 19 of National Regulation No. 2022/R-92, which governs the protection and preservation of island vegetation and flora. The council may impose administrative fines, confiscate machinery or uprooted trees, cancel permits and retain security deposits for breaches of the regulation.

The new policy builds on existing national protections for island vegetation under Regulation No. 2022/R-92, which governs the cutting, uprooting and transportation of trees and palms across the Maldives. 

The national regulation, introduced in 2022, already requires permission for tree removal, protects coastal vegetation and other environmentally sensitive areas, and mandates the planting of two replacement trees for every tree removed. Gan’s new policy introduces additional permit fees, a refundable security deposit and specific monitoring and documentation requirements for tree removal on the island.