Trees

It is estimated that there are around 125,000 trees in Waltham Forest, of which around 55,000 are managed by the Council Tree Service. These are located in public open spaces, parks, woodlands, highways, and Housing properties.

We are not responsible for trees situated on private land, however, some trees located on private land may be protected because they are subject to a Tree Preservation Order TPO or because they are in a conservation area. In such a situation, permission will have to be sought from the Council before any tree works can be undertaken. Failure to do so can result in a significant fine. Further information at Tree Preservation Order.

Emal: treepreservation@walthamforest.gov.uk

A dangerous tree is

• A tree that is in danger of falling over due to disease or damage
• A tree hit by a vehicle
• A branch that is hanging or likely to fall off

Where possible, please provide a location and photos of the tree

During office hours 8am to 4pm

• phone 020 8496 3000
• or email trees@walthamforest.gov.uk

Out of office hours 4pm to 8am, weekends and bank holidays

• Phone First Call 01253 502922
• Submit through Achieve

Trees that have fallen because of storms or present an imminent danger, will be made safe within 24 hours and other routine pruning works shall be undertaken according to their maintenance cycle or existing work schedules.

We carry out our non-safety maintenance works on a 3/4-yearly Electoral ward by ward basis in order to benefit from economies of scale. We are unable to deviate from planned maintenance schedules.

Trees are inspected the year before they are pruned

You can find out your ward by entering your postcode details.

Bird Nesting Season

Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, no work can be carried out on a tree which has nesting birds during the bird nesting season, which lasts from the 1 of March to the 31 of August. To comply with this, a Site Specific Risk Assessment is carried out and if no nesting birds are found, work can start.

The Council will not prune or remove a tree under its management for the following reasons;

• Leaf fall
• Problems associated with fruit
• Problems associated with pollen
• Problems associated with honeydew secreted by aphids
• Mess caused by insects, birds squirrels or animals
• Where a tree is perceived to be too large
• Where a tree is perceived to be interfering with a satellite dish / TV reception
• Where overhead lines/cables run through a tree’s crown. 
• Obstruction of view
• Shading of sun or daylight
• Where there is a dropped kerb or where someone is applying for a dropped curve
• Healthy trees will not be removed to create space to plant new trees
• Where someone is willing to pay for the removal and replacement of a tree
• Where a tree is perceived to be a potential cause of subsidence in the future
• Where a tree is causing disruption to pavements, kerbs, paths and walls, where engineering solutions can be used

 Overhead Cables

We do not prune trees to accommodate overhead lines. Each service provider is responsible for their own lines. In most cases, they will re-route the cable, but sometimes they do seek our permission to carry out tree works, so long as they don’t affect the amenity value of a tree and are carried out to BS3998 standards by an approved contractor.

 Therefore, we advise you to contact your service provider in the first instance, and they will contact us if they need to. For example, BT Openreach customers should contact BT Openreach damage, health and safety  

Pavement Damage

Highways and pavements are inspected three times a year and any necessary work carried out

To report any damage being caused by a tree to highway infrastructure, such as pavement, please contact the Highways department.

Underground Pipes

Those underground utilities located within private property are the responsibility of the landowner, and those outside are the responsibility of the service provider. Service providers can be identified by using the National Underground Asset Register NUAR

The roots of a street tree grow alongside or above underground pipes. and any increase in their root diameter should not exert sufficient pressure to cause damage to a pipe. Roots do not break pipes or force their way into pipes to gain access to water and nutrients, however, they can and do enter if a pipe is faulty and broken.

If you suspect that you have roots in your sewer pipes, we recommend that you contact a professional plumber who can make an assessment and use methods like mechanical root removal, drain jetting or pipe replacement if required 

High Hedges

If you think someone else's hedge is restricting your view or blocking your sunlight, here is what you can do.

Vandalized Trees

If you witness someone vandalising a Council tree, please report online on our website.

and the Police at How to report a crime and not the Council Tree Service, because we have no powers of enforcement.

For action to be taken, you will need to provide

• The exact location of the tree
• Time event chronology of the  incident
• Have a time/dated photo of the incident with the perpetrator easily identifiable.

Download a timestamp camera 

Tree or Shrub

A tree has a single woody stem from which branches grow to form a crown, and is taller than 13 feet

A shrub is multi-stemmed with branches that arise at ground level to a height of less than 13 feet

The Council Trees Service is only responsible for council-owned trees.

All enquiries can be submitted through Achieve 

Or directly to

• trees@walthamforest.gov.uk for council-managed trees
• recyclingteam@walthamforest.gov.uk for Council managed bushes, hedges, shrubs, grass, weeds or climbing plants

Vertical Boundary

You are legally allowed to cut a private or council-owned tree back to the vertical boundary of your property, so long as it is not subject to a Tree Preservation Orders TPO, and is not located within a Conservation Area. For more guidance on TPOs and Conservation Areas please email treepreservation@walthamforest.gov.uk

We recommend that residents do not undertake any tree pruning work themselves, unless qualified to do so. We also recommend that you contact at least three companies in order to get a fair reflection of the price of any work that needs to be done

Please note the council does not reimburse residents if they choose to have this work carried out.

The following contractors have been approved by the Arboricultural Association and operate in Waltham Forest

A more extensive list by postcode can be found via the Arboricultural Association

The Council only fells trees for the same reasons which are exempt from public consultation under the Highways Act 1980, Section 96A, as amended in the Environmental Act 2021, Section 115.

1. Diseased and or there is a need to stop the spread of pests or diseases, Plant Health Act 1967
2. It is dead and constitutes a danger to the public, Occupiers Liability Act 1999
3. Is dangerous because of structural defects, Occupiers Liability Act 1999
4. Is dangerous to property and constitutes a ‘nuisance’, Occupiers Liability Act 1999
5. Is obstructing the improvement of services required under the Equality Act 2010
6. Is subject to authorised planning permission granted or Highway improvement works, the Highways Act 1980

Prior to a tree being felled, a felling notice shall be affixed to it and the ward Councillors notified as to the reason why.

If you wish to make a claim for damage caused by a Council managed tree, please email the Council’s Insurance department at insurance-section@walthamforest.gov.uk

Direct damage claims must be accompanied by photos, and details of the time, date and place the damage took place

Indirect damage /subsidence claims are processed in accordance with the Joint Mitigation Protocol used by the London Tree Officer’s Association

The evidence requirements are determined by the Community Asset Value Amenity Tree CAVAT value of the tree/s implicated which can be calculated using the quick method.

As a general rule, more than 90% of trees implicated in insurance claims have a CAVAT value of more than £8,000, therefore the following evidence is to be submitted before they can be processed.

1. Damage report
2. Property plan and foundations
3. Site plan and vegetation
4. Trial Pit/borehole to a depth of 3 metres
5. Root Identification
6. Soil property details; liquid limit, plastic limit, soil plasticity (underside of foundations to 2.5m)
7. Soil Moisture Readings (underside of foundations to 2.5m)
8. Level monitoring for a period of 12 months

Once the insurance department has received all the necessary documentation, the Tree Service shall produce a tree report and any mitigation works will be carried out within 2 months.

Tree planting takes place from November to March, planting plans and funding applications are finalised in May, so that stock can be reserved in June for delivery in November.

Because we do not have a planting budget, planting locations are determined by the conditions of funders.

Our main sources of funding are the Carbon Offset Fund COF, Section 106, Urban Tree Challenge Fund UTCF, Local Authority Tree Fund LATF, Greater London Authority GLA, Town centre regeneration schemes, and Highway Improvement schemes.

Suitable planting locations are identified by our Tree Officers whilst they carry out their ward inspections, in addition to trees that have been felled and identified as suitable for replanting. Please note that it is often the case that a felled tree cannot be replanted because the surrounding area has changed in terms of street furniture, utilities, parking or property development.

We receive many planting requests from the general public, and take note of these, but are unable to respond to these because our Tree Officers are only able to verify if they are suitable for planting if the request lies within a ward that they are surveying that year.

Species we currently plant

All our trees are supplied by nurseries that follow British Standard 8545 and are members of the Plant Healthy Certification scheme Plant healthy 

All species chosen have low to medium water demand (NHBC) and fall into the following size categories

Very small 5 meters

• Ligustrum Japonicum /Japanese Privet

Small 5 to 10 meters

• Amelanchier Arborea robin hill /. Downey Serviceberry
• Prunus x hillieri spire / Japanese Cherry
• Prunus cerasifera nigra / Purple Leaved Plum
• Sorbus thuringiaca ‘fastigiata’ / Hybrid Whitebeam

Medium 10 to 15 meters

• Betula utilis jacquemontii / Himalyan Birch
• Betula pendula ‘fastigiata’/ Silver Birch
• Acer campestre Elsrijk / Field Maple
• Sorbus aria magnifica / Whitebeam Magnifica
• Sorbus aucuparia rowan / Mountain Ash
• Tilia cordata greenspire / Lime
• Ulmus New Horizon / Elm

Large 15 meters

• Carpinus betulus Frans Fontaine / Hornbeam
• Platanus x hispanica / London Plane
• Quercus robur / Pedunculate oak

Annual Tree Give Away 

Every year in February we distribute up to 5,000 free tree whips to residents to plant in their gardens

For more details email tree.giveaway@walthamforest.gov.uk

•  Acer campestre / Field Maple
• Betula pendula / Silver Birch
• Prunus avium / Wild Cherry
• Sorbus aucuparia / Mountain Ash
• Crataegus monogyna / Hawthorn
• Malus sylvestris / Common crab apple
• Prunus Spinosa / Blackthorn
• Ilex aquifolium / Holly

National Tree Week 23 November 2024 to 1 December 2024

Schools and residential groups can participate in the national tree planting week by ordering free tree whips 

• The Tree Council 
• The Woodland Trust 
• The Mayor of London  

Planting Site Checklist

The following need to be considered when identifying a suitable planting site

Overhead

• Overground Utilities, e.g BT overhead cables
• CCTV cameras
• Street lighting
• Traffic lights, e.g signals, Zebra Crossing Beacons

Ground level

• Crossover / dropped curb
• Disabled Parking Bay
• Pavement Parking
• Property Access
• Property main window
• High Flank Wall
• Buildings & Bridges
• Existing vegetation e.g existing tree canopy
• A driver site lines e.g road junction
• Street furniture e.g signposts, bike hangars, billboards, Telecommunication boxes
• Right of way, cycle lanes, pedestrian footpaths
• Space, e.g pavement width
• Vandalism hotspots

Underground

• Underground utilities e.g Water, sewerage, electricity, gas, cable TV, telecommunications (N.U.A.R)
• Contaminated soil

Every tree planted by our contractor comes with a three-year maintenance plan and a free three-year replacement guarantee should the tree die during this period. Maintenance includes formative pruning, the maintenance of ties, cages, stakes, and watering bags, and watering itself. Trees are watered fortnightly between May to September, depending on the weather.

Get Involved

Should you wish to know the species of tree, know the maintenance history, report a problem, or even start watering, simply scan the QR code affixed to the tree stake. 

You will need to download the GT Watering app

Android 

Apple 

Instructions on how to use the app 

Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, should there be a prolonged heatwave, Thames Water has the power to request our contractor to cease their watering operations, so we welcome and encourage community groups and residents to help us water any newly planted trees in their street.

To request a free watering can, email watering@gristwoodandtoms.co.uk

Advice on watering

• If there is no watering bag, water in the early morning or evening
• The soil at the base of the tree should be moist but not soggy
• Water every other day with a watering can or fill the watering bag once a week
• In drought conditions, bathwater may be used

Please note that prolonged temperatures above 30c will result in wilting, which is a natural defence mechanism, and does not necessarily indicate that a tree is dead.

Tree roots need oxygen to survive so compaction or damage can severely affect their oxygen intake, and they can suffocate to death. Over time the roots can die and rot which can severely compromise the structural integrity of the tree, leading it to fall over. 

An established tree will have its main feeder roots in the top 30 cm of soil, so any digging or disturbance may damage or kill the feeder roots, which the tree needs to survive. It is for this reason that we do not recommend the construction of tree pits

The effect of the planters can take a few years to escalate so the cause is not always obvious and is not always seen to be connected to damage or disease linked to soil level changes or compaction.

Wooden Planters will only be permitted if the following are observed

• Tree Planters should only be constructed where pathways allow, otherwise they could be deemed a trip hazard and removed
• Nothing should be planted around a newly planted tree for a period of three years, so that the tree can establish itself without having to compete for water with other vegetation.
• The soil level around a tree should not be raised higher than 5 cm
• Soil levels should only be raised using mulch
• Nothing should be planted within 15cm of the tree trunk
• Only low-water-demand plants should be used in order to avoid competition for water and nutrients.
• Only small plants should be planted, so that the planting hole is minimised
• Only small hand forks or trowels not exceeding 10 cm in length should be used, to avoid damaging a tree’s roots, which are located in the top 50 cm of soil

Jurisdiction

The Council has no jurisdiction over trees on private land, which is the responsibility of the private landowner. You can check the identity of any landowner in England and Wales through the Land Registry

Duty of Care

Every tree owner has a ‘common law’ duty of care to ensure their trees do not pose an unacceptable risk to other people on or adjacent to their land. The landowner must take reasonable care to regularly inspect their trees and undertake essential work such as removing deadwood where it presents a risk to persons or property.

Any tree owner has a duty of care under the Occupiers Liability Acts to take reasonable steps to ensure visitors or trespassers on their land are safe. In theory, this means that if a tree falls and causes damage to a person or property then the tree owner may be liable, however, in practice, a landowner will usually only be liable if they are found to be negligent.

If you are in doubt about the condition of a tree, you should seek advice from a qualified Tree Surgeon or Arboricultural Consultant

Possible Steps to Take

The best way to deal with a dangerous tree on neighbouring land is to write to the tree owner as soon as possible politely expressing any concerns you have and asking them to have the tree checked by an arboriculturist.

If you still can’t reach a satisfactory conclusion, then it may be helpful to ask a third party who is known to both of you to mediate.

As a last resort, it may be possible to obtain a court injunction requiring the owner to deal with the tree, or in limited circumstances, we may be able to use discretionary powers under the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 – Sections 23 and 24 [Dangerous Trees] in respect of dangerous trees located on private land.

This legislation is only used as a ‘last resort’ where it has been proven that;

• a tree presents an imminent danger of harm to a person or property
• and that the legal owner of the tree has failed to do anything about it

If such a request were submitted to the Council, we would carry out a site visit and establish whether the relevant circumstances apply and if necessary, instigate the appropriate action.

If we considered the tree(s) to be imminently dangerous, a Notice would be served on the owner or occupier of the land upon which the tree is situated, and would

• identify the relevant tree(s)
• why the action is required
• the minimum amount of work that is necessary to make the tree(s) safe, a time period for the completion of the work, which must be not less than 21 days from the date of the Notice
• and that if the works are not undertaken, the Council can carry out the work and recover any reasonable costs.

Downloads available

• Waltham Forest Tree Strategy 2010 to 2020
• Waltham Forest Tree Strategy 2017 to 2022