Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

NI Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, has launched the Department of Environment’s new guidance on Tree Preservation Orders. 

The DOE's new publication provides advice on Tree Preservation Orders, in clear and simple terms for owners, conservation groups and the general public with an interest in protecting trees of amenity value. It explains the requirement to protect trees that make an important contribution to the environment, as the DOE has a specific duty to do so under Article 64 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.

The leaflet also explains what types of trees can be protected, how the protection works by bringing the trees under the control of the Department, and where to find information on which trees are protected - from Local Area Planning Offices or online under Advice and Guidance on the Department’s website at http://www.planningni.gov.uk. Most importantly it explains what proposed works to trees do and do not require consent, how to obtain such consent and where to find out more information.  

Commenting on the new guidance the Minister said: “Following my statement of 6 June 2011 outlining the increases in fines for breaches of Tree Preservation Orders, under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, the new guidance aims to ensure that the public are made fully aware of what is required in terms of compliance with the legislation to ensure that these trees are here for future generations to come.”