Ancient Trees: Protections

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Thursday 24th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

Defra has just been mapping trees in this country, so that we have a better understanding of how many trees we have, where they are and what types of trees they are, so we are doing quite a lot of work to understand what trees we have. Also, as I am sure the noble Baroness and other noble Lords are aware, when applying for what was BPS and is now ELMS, the mapping of particularly important large trees on farmland is currently carried out. When we look at the Tree Council report, we need to consider how we can use that information to make sure that the most important trees are protected and that landowners are encouraged to do so.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, I hope the noble Baroness takes this question in the spirit in which it is intended. Given that the tree has now been felled, what is the point of a tree preservation order on the stump? Is it to act as a disincentive to future fellings or to send a strong signal to make more people aware that they should be more careful when felling older trees?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

That is a really good question. I do not know the reason why the council has put a TPO on it, but common sense suggests that the tree may not actually be dead. You could say that it has been extremely heavily pollarded, as opposed to chopped down at the base, as was the case with the Sycamore Gap tree. On that basis, it could potentially sprout again. It will not exactly recover quickly to its former glory, but that is potentially the reason that the TPO has been put on it.