Agenda item

2. Trees Protected by a Tree Preservation Order or TPO  (The Town and Country Planning

     Act 1990)

3. Trees protected by Local Authority planning conditions (usually short term but can be up

    to 5 years)

 

    The majority of protected trees are within private ownership not public land.

 B. Local Authority Protection

     Local Authorities  therefore  manage the public trees using the same protection principals, who are  regarded by Central Government as a responsible public body that should not need to TPO  their own stock.

Threats to Trees, New development near trees including changes to the highway such as new layouts and  new cycle routes

Damage prevention. Developers and contractors sometimes don't understand the impact that digging near trees or trenching through root systems can have.

Tree Officers offer an advisory role to help reduce tree damage but we also have to enforce protection where needed. 1000’s of trees are saved from damage or felling each year by the Council.

7.7       Our main priority is to keep our trees as safe as reasonably possible.

           

Most day to day work is generated by tree safety inspections.

The population of UK is 60 million &  yet only 6 fatalities per year are caused by trees. (So the odds are 1in 10 million) However there are 3,650 road fatalities per year or 10 per week!

Trees are inspected for safety and digitally mapped depending on their target risk. This enables others to see trees on the council’s maps.

Where possible we try to replace tree losses by carrying out annual tree planting programmes. Resident requests for planting are often successful but inner city sites are hard to find. Underground utilities have made many areas unsuitable for trees. This is one reason why our street trees as very valuable as they are often irreplaceable.

Guides are available for information on all aspects of trees care, maintenance etc from The Council.