topic: trees

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are made by the local council.  They can apply to specific individual trees, groups of trees or woodlands which are considered to be an amenity to a local area.

A TPO prohibits the wilful destruction of trees and damage to them.  It means the local council has to give its consent before any cutting down, topping, lopping, damaging of roots and uprooting of trees can be done.

Owners of protected trees must not carry out, or cause or permit the carrying out of, any of the prohibited activities without the written consent of the council. It is a criminal offence to carry out works to legally protected trees witghout council permission.  The owners of protected trees, however, are responsible for maintaining trees safely and may use this duty as a reason for carrying out work on them without permission.

In making a Tree Preservation Order, your local council takes into account factors like:

• size and form of the tree(s)
• future potential as an amenity
• rarity, cultural or historic value
• contribution to, and relationship with, the landscape, and
• contribution to the character or appearance of a conservation area.

The council should be able to tell you which trees are subject to TPOs and some now produce this information on line in map form.  Community groups can produce their own map or list of pretected trees in theitr neighbourhood and let their owners know that local people are aware they are protected.