Trees can be protected in a number of ways, but the most common is by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). These orders are made by the local authority and make it an offence to fell, prune, or otherwise damage a tree without permission. You can see if a tree in Plymouth is protected by looking at the council’s interactive map. If you think a tree is in danger of being felled or damaged, you can request that the local authority place a TPO on it. However, this will have to meet certain criteria set by the authority. For more information on this, please see Plymouth City Council’s website.