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The following is a short summary of the habitat type and how to create/enhance it to a "good" condition. For an informed position, please refer to official up-to-date UKHAB documentation or the UK Government's Condition Assessment Sheet.
Description: Trees in an urban setting. Can either be an individual or a small group. Can include trees planted along the side of a road, usually located on the pavement edge in tree pits. Individual trees in gardens and hedgerows should be classed as individual trees unless they are small.
Individual trees are classed as ‘urban’ or ‘rural’. To determine which it is, you should consider the degree of ‘urbanisation’ of habitats around the tree and assign the best fit for the location (this is a personal judgement call).
If you wish to select this habitat on a habitat selection screen, it can be found under Individual Trees (see guide).
A tree in a hedgerow counts as an individual tree if its canopy does not touch those of other trees. They can be recognised by having a clear stem or being twice the average height of the hedgerow. Alternatively, they are obvious as individuals that have clearly been favoured as single trees, even if young, by the management regime operating on the hedgerow, for example, by being deliberately left unflailed when the rest of the hedgerow has been trimmed. These trees must be in the line of the hedgerow, or the nearest point of the tree trunk must be less than 1m from the edge of the woody canopy of the hedgerow, bearing in mind that a hedgerow can be up to 5m wide at the base. Lines of trees are recognised as separate from isolated hedgerow trees for survey purposes (Source: HM Government)
Size Class | Diameter at breast height (DBH) (cm) |
Small | greater than 7.5cm and less than or equal to 30cm (Saplings smaller than 7.5cm can also be classed as "small") |
Medium | greater than 30cm and less than or equal to 60cm |
Large | greater than 60cm and less than or equal to 90cm |
Very Large | greater than 90cm |
Special Rules
If you are recording a habitat that is defined by the presence of trees, such as a woodland, you must NOT record the trees separately.
If you are recording trees in a private garden, you don’t have to count small trees (unless they are ancient or veteran). All other trees should be counted individually.
If you are recording trees in a hedgerow and there are individual trees within the hedgerow, you don’t have to count small trees (unless they are ancient or veteran). All other trees should be counted individually.
If you are planting trees as part of a hedgerow creation or enhancement, you must NOT record the trees individually. Please just draw in the hedgerow habitat type.
You must NOT use individual trees in a private garden as a way to boost biodiversity.
The condition of individual trees can be assessed as blocks or groups if found within and around the perimeter of urban land. This includes those along urban streets, highways, railways, canals, and former field boundary trees incorporated into developments. For example, if a group of trees within the urban environment does not match habitat descriptions for woodland, they may be assessed as a block of individual urban trees.
How to Create / Enhance to a "Good" condition
How to create
There is useful information on how trees can be incorporated into different development types from the Forestry Commission.
How to get a "moderate" rating
In a management plan aiming to achieve ‘moderate’ condition the plan will show the following:
If there are no other trees nearby
The tree shall be a native tree species.
Steps will be taken to assess and reduce the risk of damage caused by human activities, such as vandalism.
The tree will be allowed to grow to at least 75% of its expected canopy area in relation to its age, height and species and will not be pruned regularly.
If multiple trees are being planted together
At least 70% of the trees in the group will be native species.
Tree canopy layer will be allowed to become continuous, so any gaps in the canopy covering less than 10% of the total area.
The trees will be allowed to grow to at least 75% of their expected canopy area for their age, height and species.
Example of good practice - steps taken to reduce the risk of damage
How to get a "good" rating
In addition to the characteristics for moderate condition, to get a ‘good’ condition the plan will show the following:
If there are no other trees nearby
The tree will have enough space around it to enable it to reach a mature height, in relation to the species of tree.
If multiple trees are being planted together
At least half of the trees in the group will, when mature, be allowed to reach a mature height and a continuous canopy will be allowed to emerge.
No more than 80% of the area underneath the tree(s) canopy will be artificial ground cover or unvegetated bare ground.
Features attractive for animals, particularly invertebrates, will be added or allowed to accrue, including deadwood, cavities, ivy or loose bark.
Please note that this is a simple guide to help identify the habitat. For a definitive description, please refer to UKHab documentation. Joe's Blooms takes no responsibility for the content of external links.