Published: 30 January 2017

The 51^st AA National Amenity Conference and the 1^st International Conference on Biosecurity

A call for papers has been issued for the first International Arboriculture Conference to explore the theme of Biosecurity.

The AA National Amenity Conference returns to Exeter University from 10-13 September.

Continuing with our vision of collaboration, we’re pleased to announce that this year’s Conference middle day will be presented in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management(CIEEM).

Under the general theme of biosecurity, the Association is inviting submissions for presentations on the following:

• Tree Health
• Biosecurity
• Tree species selection
• Population Resilience and Management
• Pests and Diseases
• Ecological/Arboricultural impact assessments
• Trees and Development
• Surveying techniques and methodologies
• Bats and trees/woodlands
• Protected species and Arboriculture
• Biodiversity
• Veteran trees
• Soil ecology
• Ecosystem services evaluation

AA Members, partners and colleagues are invited to submit papers and ideas under these themes, for presentation at the conference. Authors of submissions selected will then be invited to present their work at the conference. Most presentations will last no longer than 30 minutes. 

Proposals should include the following information:

1. Name
2. Job title and organisation (if relevant)
3. Brief biography (no more than 100 words)
4. Please indicate if you are an Arboricultural Association member
5. Title of session
6. Subject area
7. Summary of content of up to 300 words
8. An indication of the type session that is of interest to yourself

The deadline for proposals is 5pm on Tuesday 28 February 2017. The AA’s conference steering group, which contains AA members, will assess the proposals, and will aim to respond by the end of March.

Please submit proposals to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published: 08 February 2017

John Parker, Chair of the London Tree Officers Association, and Greg Packman from the Royal Parks talk to ITN's Martin Stew about the threat posed to London plane trees by canker stain of plane (Ceratocystis platani).

Published: 17 January 2017

The OPM working party is made up of a contact in most of the London Boroughs, Bill Malin (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 John Parker (TfL), Richard Edwards (Croydon), Howard Booth (TfL), Jane Crowther (Richmond), Lucy Murphy (City of London), Dan Sitch (Merton) 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). 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). This group is currently looking at validations also tree and landscape conditions to produce a best practice document.

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). The 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), 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 with the Tree Council on a toolkit for Chalara.

Human health and trees working party is made up of Andrew Digby (Barnet), Colleen O’Sullivan (Camden), Craig Ruddick (Richmond), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Richard Barnes (Woodland Trust), Thomas Campbell (Hackney) and Daniel Monk (Three Rivers).  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), 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.

CSP working party is made up of John Parker (TfL), David Humphries (City of London), Colleen O’Sullivan (LB Camden), Gary Meadowcroft (Southwark), Geoff Clack (Islington), Greg Packman (Royal Parks), Matt Steinman (Royal Parks), Richard Edwards (Croydon) and James Canneaux (Croydon). This new group is looking at Plane Wilt.

Published: 03 January 2017

Early Bird 15% discount ends 29 January 2017 for further information and booking visit: www.charteredforesters.org/tpbe3

Day 1 : Roads to Place - A Focus on Trees and Transport   
Day 2 : The Health Crisis – A Focus on Trees and Health

Confirmed Keynote speakers;

Maarten Buijs, Senior Project Manager at internationally acclaimed Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm, West 8.

Professor Miles Tight, Professor of Transport, Energy and Environment, University of Birmingham.

Dr Matilda van den Bosch, University of British Columbia, landscape planning and public health expert.

Professor Rhiannon Corcoran, Professor of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, UK.’

 The triennial conference is a unique gathering of built and natural environment professionals, working towards the shared goal of enhancing green infrastructure. It provides an important platform for collaboration between professions and offers new research on the environmental, social and economic benefits of urban trees. Next year’s conference focuses in particular on two themes: health and highways. Prof Alan Simson, TPBE3 Conference Chair, commented on the significance of these subjects:

“The significant relationship between trees, people and place has been a ‘known known’ for a long time, but it is only relatively recently that research has been able to positively prove the benefits of this relationship, particularly to the places where we live, love, work, recreate and have our being. This conference will focus upon two specific yet inter-related aspects of these benefits – those associated with human health and well-being, and those associated with movement and transport. Key speakers from both overseas and the UK will be presenting aspects of their research and best practice into these important themes at this conference, which will be a significant event in promoting the benefits that trees can bring to urban futures in the 21st century.”

Confirmed keynote speakers for this event include landscape planning and public health expert, Dr Matilda van den Bosch, University of British Columbia; Prof Miles Tight, Professor of Transport, Energy and Environment, University of Birmingham; and Maarten Buijs, Senior Project Manager at internationally acclaimed Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm, West 8.

TPBE3 is hosted and organised by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) on behalf of a group of partner organisations, including: Ancient Tree Forum, Arboricultural Association, Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, Forestry Commission England, Forest Research, Fund4Trees, Green Infrastructure Partnership (TCPA), Institution of Civil Engineers, London Tree Officers Association, Municipal Tree Officers Association, National Association of Tree Officers, Place Alliance, Society for the Environment, Trees and Design Action Group, Urban Design Group, Utility Arboriculture Group and Woodland Trust.

Shireen Chambers FICFor, ICF Executive Director, welcomed the opportunity for collaboration with such a wide range of natural and built environment organisations; 

“The Institute of Chartered Foresters is proud to host and organise the Trees, People and the Built Environment conference series on behalf of the conference partners. The event is a unique opportunity for professionals from across the natural and built environment sectors to meet and collaborate on the important issue of urban greening. Urban trees are an essential part of our green infrastructure and it is imperative that we provide such opportunities for joined-up thinking across the professions.”

The 2011 and 2014 conferences were sell-out events and international interest is expected once again this year. The Institute is advising early booking to make the most of the early bird rate, which offers a 15% discount on full-price two-day tickets. Early bird booking ends 31 January, 2017.