West Devon Borough Council has issued new preservation orders covering six sites, including an oak that is more than 300 years old. The council said the orders would help safeguard the trees for future generations and protect their benefits.
The Honour Oak on Whitchurch Road in Tavistock is on the list and has previously been described as one of the town's most historically significant trees.
Councillor Mandy Ewings, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said the trees helped "provide homes for wildlife, support biodiversity, improve air quality and help create the green landscapes that define our borough."
During the Napoleonic Wars, the Honour Oak marked the boundary beyond which French prisoners of war living in Tavistock on parole were not allowed to travel. The tree was also linked to the 1832 cholera outbreak, with historical records indicating money was deposited there in exchange for food to reduce contact between people.
The protected sites are Green Hill, Tavistock; Land to the West of Butcher Park Hill, Tavistock; Land to the West, South and North of Broadleigh Park, Tavistock; Land at Callington Road, Tavistock; The Honour Oak tree, Whitchurch Road, Tavistock; and The Veteran Common Lime tree on Crowndale Road.
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West Devon Council Issues Preservation Orders for Six Trees