About 10% of the United Kingdom's area is woodland.   Lincolnshire is one of its more poorly wooded counties (4.6% of its area), with the City little better (5% of its area).   National planning policies now fully recognise the importance of increasing woodland cover, especially in native, broad-leaved species.   Both the County Council and the City Council are anxious to increase the area covered by trees and woodland.

Lincoln City Council's Tree and Woodland Strategy combines the management of existing City Council woodland with the planting of new woodlands. The emphasis will be on maintaining wildlife value and increasing recreational opportunities.

It would make little sense to promote the planting of new trees without safeguarding the existing stock. The Tree and Woodland Strategy, therefore, also involves protecting important trees and groups of trees through Tree Preservation Orders. The case for making a Tree Preservation Order turns, principally, upon the significance of the contribution a tree or group of trees makes to "amenity". Once confirmed, they prohibit the felling, uprooting, topping, lopping and wilful damage or destruction of trees without the City Council's consent.