The PEFC UK Trees Outside Forests (TOF) standard provides a framework for the certification of trees beyond traditional forest settings. These can include street trees, parkland, orchards, riversides and trees within residential or commercial developments.
Trees outside forests form an important part of the UK’s green infrastructure. Depending on their location, condition and management, trees and green spaces can contribute to objectives relating to biodiversity, carbon storage, air quality, flood management, recreation and wellbeing.
The TOF standard allows organisations to define a Tree Management Unit and have its management independently assessed against requirements covering environmental, social and economic aspects of tree management.
A framework for responsible tree management
Developed by PEFC UK using the UK Woodland Assurance Standard as its baseline, the TOF standard provides a structured approach to managing urban and peri-urban trees.
It can be used by local authorities, developers, public landowners and other organisations responsible for trees outside traditional forest settings.
The standard includes requirements relating to:
- Legal compliance and management responsibilities.
- Long-term policies and management objectives.
- Management planning and documentation.
- Assessment of environmental and social impacts.
- Tree resilience, protection and monitoring.
- Consultation with interested parties.
- Access, recreation, communities and workers.
- The consideration of carbon sequestration and storage within management planning.
Certification involves independent assessment of the applicable requirements by an accredited certification body. It demonstrates that the certified Tree Management Unit is managed in conformity with the TOF standard. It does not, by itself, verify the delivery of biodiversity gains, net-zero targets or specific community wellbeing outcomes.
The Trees Outside Forests standard was developed following a pilot with Sheffield City Council and was endorsed by PEFC International in July 2024. It forms part of the UKAS-accredited PEFC United Kingdom Certification Scheme for Sustainable Forest Management.
You can download the Trees Outside Forests standard and accompanying guidance document. For more information about the certification process, visit our Get Certified page.
How TOF certification can support your organisation
The TOF standard can help organisations:
- Establish a consistent framework for managing trees across departments, estates or developments.
- Document tree-management responsibilities, objectives and procedures.
- Consider environmental, social and economic factors within management planning.
- Demonstrate that management has been independently assessed against the applicable standard.
- Provide evidence relevant to responsible tree-management policies and ESG reporting.
- Support communication with residents, stakeholders and other interested parties.
- Monitor management activities and identify opportunities for continual improvement.
Where TOF certification contributes to a wider biodiversity, carbon, social-value or funding objective, any associated claim should be supported by separate evidence appropriate to that objective.
Be part of a growing network
PEFC UK is working with local authorities, homebuilders and public landowners to develop the use of TOF certification across the UK.
If your organisation is responsible for trees in urban, peri-urban or other non-forest settings, TOF certification can provide an independently assessed framework for planning, documenting and reviewing their management.
To find out more or discuss how TOF certification could support your goals, contact: John Kirkby, Executive Director.
