Tree Preservation Orders

Why protect trees?

Trees may be worthy of preservation for their:

• natural beauty
• their contribution to the landscape, or
• because they fulfil a screening function

The value of the trees may be enhanced by their scarcity, and the value of a group of trees or woodland may be collective only. Other factors (such as importance as a wildlife habitat) may be taken into account, but would not alone be enough to warrant an order.

Tree preservation orders are often made when trees are seen as being under threat, but it is not necessary for the risk to be immediate for an order to be made.

If it is felt that trees are at risk generally from development pressures, or are at risk for other reasons, the making of precautionary tree preservation orders may be appropriate.

[back to top]