LTOA working parties update February 2016

The OPM working party is made up of a contact in most of the London Boroughs, Bill Malin (Contractor), Ben Clutterbuck (Contractor), Mark Townsend (Contractor), Dominic Blake (ATS), Richard Trippett (Bartletts), Gillian Jonusas (Royal Parks), Ian Rodger (Royal Parks), Andrew Hoppit (FC) and affected organisations such as Wimbledon Common. This is an ongoing working party to combat OPM.

The PR group is made up of Andy Lederer (Islington), John Parker (TfL), Richard Edwards (Croydon),  Howard Booth (TfL) and David Humphries (City of London). This is an ongoing working party. The aim is to raise awareness and the profile of the work of tree officers and what the LTOA does.

Risk Limitation Strategy revision group is made up of Peter Osborne (Consultant), Tim Moya (Consultant), Simon Pryce (Consultant), Andy Tipping (Barnet), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Gary Meadwocroft (Southwark), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Jim Smith (FC), Michael Sankus (Medway), Richard Edwards (Croydon), Rupert Bentley Walls (Hackney). The group is revising this strategy especially in light of two recent cases Berent and Robbins.

Planning working party is made up of Chris Overbeke (Consultant), Ian Leonard (Lambeth), Jon Ryan (Islington), Oliver Stutter (Southwark), Peter Osborne (Consultant), Michael Sankus (Medway) Stephen Downing (Enfield), Sue King (Bexley). This group is currently looking at validations also tree and landscape conditions to produce a best practice document.

Principal Officers working party. This working party is open to all principal officers and meets every 6 months.

Surface materials around trees in hard landscapes working party is made up of John Parker (TfL), Pat Langley (Wandsworth), Ernst Erasmas (Southwark), Howard Booth (TfL), Chris Suthers (Street Tree), Michael Gargon (Street Tree), Michael Sankus (Medway). They are writing a guidance document on the use of various materials which is in its final stages.

Biosecurity working party is made up of Ben Galley (Camden), Jonathan Meares (City of London), Nev Fay (Treework Environmental Practice), Dominic Blake (ATS), Fiona Critchley (Arb Solutions), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Jon Banks (Bartlett Tree Lab), Tom Campbell (Hackney), Mark Reed (City Suburban), Keith Sacre and Lisa Sanderson (Arboricultural Association). The group has produced a position statement and is now working on a pest and disease matrix and collaborating with the Landscape Institute and FC.

The Massaria working party is made up of Neville Fay (Consultant), Peter Holloway (AA), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), David Humphries (City of London). A Massaria management document has been produced with a technical supporting document to follow.

Human health and trees working party is made up of Andrew Digby (Barnet), Colleen O’Sullivan (Camden), Craig Ruddick (Richmond), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), John Parker (TfL), Julie Hughes (Three Rivers), Patrick Richardson (Islington), Richard Barnes (Woodland Trust), Thomas Campbell (Hackney), Vicki Harding (Heath & Hampsead Society). They are pulling together any UK related research on the subject and looking into tree planting and air pollution in London.

Tree Service models working party is made up of Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Al Smith (Camden) , Ann Currell (Barnet), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Julian Fowgies (Bromley) and Richard Fletcher (Wandsworth). The group is looking at outsourcing in London and the various tree service models in operation across the London Boroughs.

London Tree & Woodland Awards open for nominations - deadline 8th April

Nominations are now invited for this year’s London Tree and Woodland Awards.

The London Tree and Woodland Awards raise awareness of London’s urban forest, celebrate the great work taking place and inspire others to do more.

A flyer giving more details is attached here

In summary the award categories for this year are:

1. Community Woodland Award

2. Community Tree Award

3. Acorn Award

4. Trees and Development Award

5. Trees and Learning Award

6. Individual Commitment Award

The nomination form is available from www.forestry.gov.uk/london-awards and completed forms should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by the 8th April 2016.

LTOA Bats and Woodland Training Course

Richard Edwards who attended the first bat and woodland course for full LTOA members said "It was a really interesting day, the morning indoor sessions cover British bats, protected species and wildlife law, and tree/woodland management, including a look at the essential Bat Surveys – Good Practice Guidelines and the new BS 8596:2015 British Standard Surveying for bats in trees and woodland Guide.

The afternoon session is a walk round Cherry Tree Wood, East Finchley using various pieces equipment to look at bat habitats and potential roost features.

A big thank you to Sue Morgan and David Mitchell who ran the course. Sue’s knowledge on bats was complimented by David’s practical approach to woodland management and their enthusiasm for the subject made this a really useful day. Sue’s impression of a bat makes it worth attending for that alone.

I would also like to thank Andy Tipping, Barnet’s Trees and Woodland Manager, for providing an excellent venue".

London to Paris Charity Bike Ride

Outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, Lord Framlingham holds the French translation of Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery surrounded by representatives from the Arboricultural Association, Forestry Commission, Ancient Tree Forum, Institute of Chartered Foresters, London Tree Officers Association, Barcham Trees, the Trees and Design Action Group and Fund4Trees (including the core team of cyclists who will undertake the London to Paris ride, recognisable to their yellow ‘Ride for Research’ T-shirts).

Representatives of the key national arboricultural organisations (1) gathered around The Rt Hon Lord Framlingham KT outside the Houses of Parliament to lend their support for the upcoming London to Paris Fund4Trees (F4T) bike ride. The purpose of the gathering was a formal handover from Lord Framlingham to the F4T cyclists of the French translation of Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery.

Initially published in November 2014 by the Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) (2), the guide explores the practical challenges and solutions for integrating trees in 21st century streets, civil spaces and car parks. While these are arguably the most challenging environment for growing trees, they are also the areas that can derive most benefits from their inclusion. The publication, which has received endorsement from an unprecedented cross-disciplinary partnership in the U.K. (3), quickly attracted attention from across the channel - and as a result, VAL'HOR (4) stepped up to sponsor the production of a French translation.

At the at the end of May, the F4T bike ride will be heading to the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre in West Paris where the 99th French Mayors Congress is due to be held. The VAL'HOR team will be there to welcome the F4T riders, receive the French translation of the guide and launch it to high profile audience of key French local elected officials.

The F4T London to Paris bike ride will also be bringing a sapling from the 1,000 year old ancient Windsor Oak gifted by the Ancient Tree Forum and the Crown Estates to be planted in one of the gardens of the French capital.

The 285-mile London to Paris ride will promote Donate1Job and Donate1Hour as sustainable revenue streams for the urban tree research that F4T supports (5).

Lord Framlingham: “I have been very impressed with the work of TDAG and its understanding of the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration for trees in the urban environment. VAL’HOR has provided a valuable service by extending the reach of Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery to practitioners across the channel. Fund4Trees has consistently supported vital tree research and its gallant cyclists deserve our heartiest thanks for taking the document to the French Mayors Congress along with a very special ancient Windsor Oak – a demonstration of effective collaboration by all concerned.”

Martin Kelly (TDAG Trustee): “I am very proud that VAL’HOR commissioned the translation of TDAG’s Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery into French. We learned much from the excellent work on urban trees being undertaken by the Greater Lyon Authority, included in our case studies, and so are pleased that this translation will further the exchange of knowledge covering best practice in the UK, France and internationally.”

Martin Gammie (F4T Trustee and lead arboricultural advisor for the development of the TDAG guide): “The international recognition that Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery is attracting clearly demonstrates how research and innovation can directly benefit the practitioner. One of Fund4Trees key objectives is to ensure that the research we support is both relevant and timely to the needs of the arboricultural profession. Our ride to Paris seeks to promote the Fund4Trees ‘Donate1Job’ and ‘Donate1Hour’ funding initiatives that provide the arboricultural practitioner with a simple effective way to help fund future research that will benefit us all. It is a self perpetuating route to success that we should all support.”

Rob Mackenzie (F4T Research Advisory Committee Chair): “Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery is an exemplary piece of professional guidance, founded on hard research evidence. Fund4Trees, TDAG, and the other partners involved are clearing a direct path from ‘blue skies’ research to real improvements in the quality of life of city dwellers.”

Ted Green (Ancient Tree Forum Founder): “Trees know no boundaries, no creed, no class, no race and are admired and cherished by society across all walks of life. Our oaks crossed from France after the Ice Age and throughout time have bound our Nation’s history. Indeed the British King Charles II brought many oaks from France to Windsor. It is a great pleasure therefore to carry on a great tradition and return to France with a sapling grown from a seed from a 1,000 year old Oak at Windsor.”

The ride is being sponsored by Barcham Trees, Urban Forestry (Bury St. Edmunds) and Plantco (France).

(1) Ancient Tree Forum, Arboricultural Association, Forestry Commission England, Institute of Chartered Foresters, London Tree Officers Association with Fund4Trees trustees and their Research Advisory Committee Chair.

(2) TDAG is a registered charity focusing on enhancing cross-disciplinary collaboration and collective expertise on the use of trees to build a legacy of great 21st century cities with trees. More information at www.tdag.org.uk

(3) The guide has attracted unprecedented endorsement from both professional engineering and arboricultural professional bodies in the UK including the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) (more information available at www.tdag.org.uk/trees_in_hard_landscapes)

(4) VAL'HOR is the umbrella branch organisation for ornamental horticulture and landscape in France. It brings together 9 professional organisations covering the entire industry: growers, nurseries, florists, garden centres, landscape contractors and landscape architects (more information available at http://www.valhor.fr).

(5) Fund4Trees is a registered charity which raises money for urban tree research and particularly engages school children in the value of trees. Donate1Job and Donate1Hour (http://fund4trees.org.uk/donate/) serve to generate a sustainable revenue streams to support the research funded by F4T.