Review protections for important trees: amend Forestry Act & list heritage trees
Review and strengthen protections. Amend the Forestry Act 1967 to explicitly define and set a higher evidence bar for exempting any ancient tree felling from licences. Publish and maintain a list of heritage trees with protected status as proposed in the Heritage Trees Private Members Bill 2023-24.
Signatures
11,714
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 10,000/10,000 · reached
Debate threshold (100,000) · 11,714/100,000
- 05 FEB 2026Government respondedDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsGovernment reply
Ancient and veteran trees and ancient woodlands are irreplaceable habitats in national planning policies. Tree Preservation Orders also prevent some trees from being felled or significantly modified.
Read full response - 04 FEB 2026Petition closedFinal total: 11,714 signatures
- 03 DEC 202510,000 signatures reachedEligible for a government response
- 04 AUG 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
We'd also like the Government to formally commit to implementing the recommendations of a DEFRA-commissioned report from the Tree Council (April 2025), which amongst other recommendations called for engaging key stakeholders within 12 months of publication, and the development of an ‘action plan’ for important trees.
Ancient trees are irreplaceable habitats, and we believe they need better protection. The Forestry Act currently allows some to be felled without felling licences; we think there must be a more rigorous licensing requirement.