Useful Stuff
How Many Trees Does Wandsworth Council manage?
There are approximately 60,000 trees within the Council's ownership, including on highways, in allotments, open and closed cemeteries, parks and open spaces, and council housing land.
What Does the Painted Strip at the Top of Tree Stakes Signify?
The coloured strip at the top of the tree stake identifies the year in which the tree was planted. Recent annual plantings are coloured coded as follows:
2017 – 2018
2018 – 2019
2019 – 2020
2020 – 2021
2021 – 2022
2022 – 2023
2023 – 2024
2024 – 2025
What is a Tree Preservation Order (TPO for short)?
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is an order made by a local planning authority in England (such as Wandsworth Council) to protect specific trees, groups of trees or woodlands in the interests of amenity.
The order, subject to exceptions in the regulations, prohibits the cutting down, uprooting, lopping, topping, wilful damage or wilful destruction of any trees to which the order relates, except with the written consent of the authority, and where such consent is given subject to conditions.
The criteria for a tree to be considered for a TPO is high amenity value, good condition, visible, visual impact, rarity and proximity to property. A TPO for a tree in a back garden is rare.
How Can I Get a Tree planted Near My Home?
Each year Wandsworth Council agrees an annual tree planting plan. Approximately 600 trees are planted across the borough every year.
The Council maintains a database identifying potential planting sites but welcomes suggestions and requests for new locations put forward by residents and Tree Wardens. A possible site for a tree may include an existing empty ‘tree pit’ (a space where a tree was previously planted and may have died) or a completely new location.
Occasionally, where there are extensive gas, water or service pipes running underground or cables and lighting overhead, it may not be possible to plant a tree in a particular location, but most requests to plant a tree are met.