Sarasota County may protect more trees by extending protections to "baby grand" trees; Sarasota County, FL

Sarasota County may protect more trees HeraldTribune.com Sarasota Florida Southwest Florida's Information Leader:
Trees that are likely candidates to become tall, canopied centerpieces of a property would get a new level of protection from being cut down under a proposed county law.
Sarasota County already makes it particularly hard to cut down a 'grand' tree, a designation for a dozen species that have reached a certain height, breadth and thickness of trunk. A law that would create a new class of protected tree -- the baby grand -- is running into opposition from some who say the law is too onerous.
A public hearing on the law is set for Tuesday and county commissioners could decide to vote up or down on the issue then.
Baby grands are members of these same 12 protected species, including American elms and live oaks. They haven't reached the height or obtained the canopy of a grand tree, but their trunks are at least 18 inches thick and they are prime candidates to grow into that status.