Contents:
- London Boroughs – Full Membership
- Non-London Local Authorities – Full Membership
- Associate Membership
- Student Membership
- Charity & Educational Establishment Membership
- Industry influence
- Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
1. London Boroughs – Full Membership
Subscription:
2026 - 2027 cost £975
The 33 London Boroughs and Transport for London are eligible for full membership of the LTOA. Please email the Executive Officer for a return slip to fill out with invoicing details. The London Borough of Camden will then invoice you because they hold the LTOA accounts.
Full Membership entitles designated individuals in the Member organisation (typically all tree officers employed by the Local Authority, but other employees may also participate with Executive Officer approval) to the complete range of benefits.
Benefits:
Voting rights
Full Member are entitled to vote in Executive Committee Elections every two years to determine the leadership of the LTOA. They are also entitled to vote in order to ratify or reject any amendments to the LTOA Constitution.
Discounts
10% discount from Barcham Trees and Hillier Nurseries for LTOA members when tree purchase orders exceed £9K.
Seminars
Tree Managers/Officers from London boroughs have the opportunity to attend four LTOA seminars per year, at no additional cost. Seminars can be noted on Personal Development Review files or other records such as Investors in People. In most cases, London boroughs can send as many Tree Officers as they like to these seminars. See below for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) arrangements.
Working parties
As a Full member you can join or initiate working parties to focus on current, relevant arboricultural issues. The LTOA has a track record of influencing arboricultural best practice through its working parties.
Job vacancies
As a full member your Local Authority can advertise job vacancies on the LTOA website for free.
Guidance and support
Full Membership of the LTOA gives Tree Officers access to the Executive Officer - during normal office hours - to seek information, guidance and for general enquiries.
The LTOA provides a communication network for Tree Officers to access professional information and advice, as and when it is needed. This can be particularly important when dealing with unfamiliar areas of work, such as subsidence, storm and other damage; trip hazards; safety concerns and tree maintenance specifications. The LTOA Executive Committee can discuss any issues with member Tree Officers and may issue a note of support if appropriate.
Other guidance includes:
- Free benchmarking information for all London Boroughs, particularly useful in resource alignment, contract letting, and public realm management and award schemes, e.g. London in Bloom, Green Flag, ‘Total Place’ management
- Access to a professional and comprehensive website (www.ltoa.org.uk)
- LTOA guidance documents for tree professionals, covering a wide range of topics, see: www.ltoa.org.uk – Resources
- LTOA information leaflets see: www.ltoa.org.uk – Resources
- Regular email updates about LTOA activities and wider industry information.
Association of Tree Officers (ATO) – Membership
LTOA Full London Borough members are also automatically members of ATO as part of their LTOA subscription.
2. Non-London Local Authorities – Full Membership
Subscription:
2026 - 2027 cost £502
Please email the Executive Officer for a return slip to fill out with invoicing details. The London Borough of Camden will then invoice you because they hold the LTOA accounts.
Benefits:
Voting rights, discount from Barcham Trees only, seminars, working parties & job vacancies
As for No. 1 above
Guidance and support
As for No. 1 above.
(Except for access to free benchmarking information. This information may be made available on request at the discretion of the LTOA Executive Committee.)
3. Associate Membership
Associate members are made up of arboricultural related companies, other organisations. Many of our associate members are Arboricultural contractors and consultants or nurseries. This category does not include Local Authorities nor individuals.
To join as an associate member please apply in writing via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a few paragraphs at the most why your organisation or company wants to join the LTOA. Applicant applications should in line with the aims and objectives of the LTOA. This application will be considered by the LTOA Executive Committee. Once your membership has been approved please email the Executive Officer to find out the details for paying the subscription.
Subscription:
2026 – 2027 cost £357
Benefits:
- LTOA seminars, half or full day seminars are free of charge to members and take place 4 or 5 times a year. Numbers attending are limited to two members of staff per organisation.
- As an Associate member you can join or initiate working parties to focus on current relevant arboricultural issues. The LTOA has a track record of influencing arboricultural best practice through its working parties.
- Up to 3 free job adverts annually
- Regular email updates about LTOA activities and wider industry information.
4. Student Membership
Student Membership is open to any student in full or part-time education at the time of joining. Student members will need to provide their name, address, contact email and email address of their course tutor to the Executive Officer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Subscription:
Note, students have limited membership for free.
Benefits:
- Attendance to two of the LTOA seminars a year which need to be booked in advance with the Executive Officer. Student places for each seminar are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
- Regular email updates about LTOA activities and wider industry information.
- As a Student member you can join or initiate working parties to focus on current relevant arboricultural issues. The LTOA has a track record of influencing arboricultural best practice through its working parties.
5. Charity or Educational Establishment
Small charities, (defined as those that do not employ paid staff), and educational establishments which have had their detailed application for Membership approved by the Executive Committee are entitled to a condensed range of benefits. Proof of charitable status may be required at the time of joining and in the event of renewal.
To join as charity or educational establishment please apply in writing via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a few paragraphs at the most on why your organisation wants to join the LTOA. This application will be considered by the LTOA Executive Committee. Once your membership has been approved you will be given the details for paying the subscription.
Subscription:
Note, a small voluntary charity or educational establishment have limited membership for free. (This does not include larger charities who have paid staff).
Benefits:
- Access to LTOA seminars if there is sufficient capacity and subject to a charge £50 each person to attend
- Regular email updates about LTOA activities and wider industry information.
- As a Charity or Educational Establishment member you can join or initiate working parties to focus on current relevant arboricultural issues. The LTOA has a track record of influencing arboricultural best practice through its working parties.
6. LTOA Industry influence
The LTOA has an established presence on numerous groups including the London Urban Forest Partnership and Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG), engaging with the wider industry about important subjects relating to urban tree management. The LTOA also represents Local Authority Tree Officers on British Standards Institution working groups, National Joint Utilities Group, Joint Mitigation Protocol, National Tree Safety Group.
Members have the opportunity to join and initiate working parties to focus on current issues that are of concern to your Authority. Ongoing working parties include those investigating Horse Chestnut Bleeding Canker, tree planting and planning to name but a few.
7. Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
CPD is training and events that help you maintain and increase your professional knowledge but may also be required for you to achieve and retain a professional status as part as your professional membership of an organisation.
Different organisation will have different system for recording CPD, the number of hours per annum that are required and the type of training & events that can be recorded.
CPD can include conferences, seminars, workshops, discussion groups and relevant reading. Please see the links for the following arboricultural organisations for details:
Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF): www.charteredforesters.org
Arboricultural Association (AA): www.trees.org.uk
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI): www.rtpi.org.uk
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICF): www.rics.org.uk
International Society of Arboriculture (ISA): www.isa-arbor.com
Continued Educational Units (CDU)
(Seminars, events, meetings and discussion groups held by the LTOA and the ATO may count as CPD, or in relation to the ISA CDU).
