§ 70-1. Intent.

The vital environmental function which trees serve within the ecological structure of the Town of Brookhaven is well recognized. Trees are recognized to provide various benefits to the environment, including the stabilization and preservation of the soil, the absorption of air pollutants and the provision of oxygen and to further provide natural barriers to noise and habitats for wildlife, while maintaining and offering an intrinsic aesthetic quality. The destruction or removal of trees deprives all sectors of society of these benefits while disrupting the ecological systems of which they are an integral part. Thus, it is the intent of the Town Board of the Town of Brookhaven in enacting this chapter to regulate the destruction and removal of trees to secure these various benefits for the present and future inhabitants of the Town of Brookhaven.