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Trees in Portsmouth
Last updated: 13 April 2012 14:19 UKTrees contribute enormously to the beauty and quality of parks and open spaces and enhance the city's landscape. They provide structure, shape and height to spaces, provide shade, filter pollutants, screen undesirable views and provide valuable habitat for wildlife. Trees are highly valued by many people and in such a dense urban environment as Portsmouth it is particularly important that they are actively cared for.
The city council's Arboricultural section was established in the early 1970’s as a direct response to the impact of Dutch Elm Disease and consists of two full-time officers. The aim is to cultivate, maintain and manage a tree stock which enhances the character, the landscape and the wildlife in such a way that it is unrivalled in any other densely populated urban city.
The Arboricultural section manage and maintain the city council’s tree stock, in excess of 25,000 trees, using a map based management system to ensure that trees are maintained and protected properly. It is intended to use this system to manage trees in accordance with their assessed level of potential risk and when work is necessary, rather than through a 4-yearly cycle. All maintenance work to city council trees is carried out by our external contractor Gristwood and Toms.
In addition, there are over 8,000 street trees and these are maintained on the city council's behalf by Colas. These are managed in a slightly different way, due to factors and considerations of their highway location.
More than 3,000 trees of particular importance are subject to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), and the council will continue to make TPO's when necessary.
Enquiries about trees
All public enquiries are recorded onto a database via the City Helpdesk by calling (023) 9283 4150 or by emailing cityhelpdesk@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Promoting the value of trees
Portsmouth City Council will continue to support the Portsmouth and Southsea Tree Wardens, part of the Tree Council's network of warden schemes involving local volunteers. The Tree Wardens are currently inviting nominations for Portsmouth's favourite tree and more details can be found on their website.
You can find more news and information on these links to external websites for the The Tree Council - the UK's lead charity for trees, promoting their importance in a changing environment, The Royal Forestry Society - dedicated to the management of trees and woodlands and increasing people's understanding of forestry, and The Foresty Commission - the government department responsible for the protection and expansion of Britain's forests and woodlands.
Portsmouth tree scheme
The Portsmouth tree scheme was introduced to enable everyone to participate in actively improving the city’s environment by sponsoring the planting of trees for present and future generations.
Associated documents:
Guide to choosing an arborist (0.78 MB) Milton Park tree walk (0.56 MB) Victoria Park tree walk (0.58 MB)More information about trees
Brown Tail Moth caterpillarPortsmouth Tree Charter
Portsmouth Tree Scheme
Street Trees
Protecting trees
