How it works
Care plans & ownership
Caring for something that isn’t yours is a generous thing to do. It also needs clear permission. A care plan is how the owner of a thing says, in advance, exactly what helpers may do.
The principle: the owner decides
Every thing on Steward of Things has an owner, shown publicly as the group or organisation responsible for it. The owner’s admins write the thing’s care plan, and the tasks that appear for adopters come from that plan. If a task isn’t in the plan, an adopter isn’t asked to do it.
Watering a thirsty tree on a hot day is something almost every owner is glad of. Pruning it, staking it or spraying it is a different matter, and something the owner may want to do themselves, or hand to a qualified person.
Three levels of involvement
People can help at different levels. Each one asks for more commitment, and carries more responsibility, than the last.
Any signed-in user
Spot a problem, take a photo and report it. No relationship with the thing is needed, and the report goes straight to its adopters and owner. Nothing is done to the thing itself.
Adopter
Takes on the day-to-day care. Receives the tasks from the care plan and can complete them. An adopter can only ever do what the plan asks. They cannot create or change tasks themselves.
Owner / thing admin
Writes and publishes the care plan, decides which task types are allowed, and invites or removes adopters. Owners can always add more to the plan later.
Who can do what
The owner sets which kinds of task are allowed on each thing. Anything the owner hasn’t put in the plan stays switched off.
Everyday care
Low risk, no lasting change to the thing. Usually fine for any adopter.
| Task | Any signed-in user | Adopter | Owner / thing admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watering | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Litter clean-up | No | Yes | Yes |
| Weeding around the base | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Mulching | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Condition & pest checks (look, photograph, report) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hands-on care
Changes something about the thing. Only when the owner has put it in the care plan.
| Task | Any signed-in user | Adopter | Owner / thing admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feeding | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Staking, tying-in, removing a stake | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Frost protection | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Harvesting | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
| Sowing, planting, bed preparation | No | If in the care plan | Yes |
Owner decisions
Irreversible, or legally sensitive. Reserved for the owner, or someone the owner has expressly authorised.
| Task | Any signed-in user | Adopter | Owner / thing admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pruning or cutting back | No | Only if the owner authorises | Yes |
| Felling or removal | No | No | Yes |
| Pesticide, herbicide or other chemical treatment | No | No | Yes |
| Repairs, painting, or changing fixings on infrastructure | No | Only if the owner authorises | Yes |
This matrix is the default. Owners can tighten it for a particular thing or type of thing, for example a protected tree, where an owner may allow nothing beyond watering and reporting.
Why the limits matter
Good intentions don’t protect anyone from the rules. What is lawful depends on what the thing is, who owns it and where it stands.
Protected trees
In England, Wales and Scotland a tree can be covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or sit in a conservation area. Cutting, topping or lopping without consent can be a criminal offence with a substantial fine. Rules differ in Northern Ireland and in other countries.
Nesting birds and wildlife
Wild birds, their nests and some protected species are covered by law. Pruning or clearing in the nesting season can be an offence even on your own land.
Whose land is it?
Working on a tree, hedge or structure that is not yours without the owner’s permission may be trespass or criminal damage, however good the intention. A council tree, a neighbour’s hedge and a housing association planter each have different owners with different rules.
Highways and public spaces
Verges, pavements and road-side planters usually need the highway authority’s agreement, and working beside traffic carries health and safety duties.
Chemicals and tools
Pesticides and herbicides are regulated, and chainsaws, ladders and working at height need proper training and insurance. They are not something an adopter should pick up on their own initiative.
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Laws differ between countries and local authorities and change over time. If you are unsure, ask the owner, or the local council’s tree officer, before you act.
If you’re an owner
- Write a care plan. Describe what’s needed, how often, and anything that is off limits. Adopters see this plan before they commit.
- Say what’s not allowed. If a tree is protected, or a structure needs a specialist, put that in the plan so nobody has to guess.
- Keep the big jobs for yourself. Pruning, removal and chemical treatment can be done by you or a contractor you appoint. Adopters report the need and you decide.
If you’re an adopter
- Do the tasks in the plan, and no more.
- If something needs doing that isn’t in the plan, such as a broken stake or a dead branch, report it with a photo. The owner is notified.
- If you’re not sure it’s allowed, it isn’t. Ask first.