The Biosecurity working party is made up of Ben Clutterbuck (Consultant) , Dave Lofthouse (Merton) Liam Vincent (Camden), Tim Gould (Consultant), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Daniel Sitch (Merton). Ben Clutterbuck is the chair.
They are preparing the methodology and technical aspects of a centrally held database of London Borough pest, disease or other bio-security issues such as Asian Longhorn Beetle, Masssaria and possibly, soon, Pine Processionary Moth. A test with existing OPM records has proven the feasibility of having this on the LTOA website with access for all. Further issues are the simple transfer of LB records to the centre and data protection issues. The working party will also suggest the formation of 'new pest/disease' WPs where advisable.
The CCTV and trees working party is made up of Jim Chambers (Islington), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Chris Colewell (Westminster), Pamela Holt (Barnet), Rob Butcher (Camden). Jim Chambers is the chair.
The text and flow diagram for a guidance note is nearly complete and the working party will reconvene soon.
The Massaria working party is made up of Mike Turner (Royal Parks), Neville Fay (Consultant), Peter Holloway (AA), Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Neil Taylor (Royal Parks).
A Massaria management document will be produced by August 2012 with a technical supporting document to follow.
The OPM working party is made up of Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Bill Malin (Contractor), Mark Townsend (Contractor), Dale Mortimer (Ealing), Gary Rimmer (Brent), Lawrence Usherwood (Brent), Kirsty Hopla (Kingston), Liam Vincent (Camden), Paul Cross (Richmond), Paul Maher (Hounslow) , Richard Edwards (Croydon) , Richard Trippett (Bartletts), Victoria Whaley (Hounslow), Daniel Sitch (Merton), Steve Fuller (K & C), Ralph Parks (OPM inspector for FC), Craig Harrision (FC), Andrew Hoppit (FC). Dave Lofthouse is the chair.
The work of the working party will accelerate and change this summer with inter-communication and liaison with the new FC OPM Officer in ensuring timely and effective treatment as priorities. We shall also need to help other players to raise the public and health perceptions of this pest and attempt to thus lever sufficient funds for a truly effective control/eradication programme.
The Salt damage working party is made up of Glynn Percival (Bartletts), Graham Mollison (Bexley), Mike Turner (Royal Parks), Nigel Browning (Croydon).
The last two meetings had to be cancelled at the last minute due to people dropping out. We will reconvene this working party but the mild winter weather did not help.
The Training working party is made up of Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Andy Lederer (Islington), Dave Houghton (Camden), Lawrence Usherwood (Brent), Lawrence Usherwood is the chair.
This working party has met a couple of times over the last 6 months and is in the process of designing paid training courses over and above the 4 free seminars provided to members in the year e.g. NJUG.
The Tree Warden working party is made up of Jon Stokes (Tree Council), Margaret Lipscombe (Tree Council), Andy Robinson (Enfield), Babs Millington (Haringey), Dale Mortimer (Ealing), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Grayham Tyndal (Islington). Jake Tibbetts (Islington), Jane Plant (Merton), Kelly King (Camden), Lawrence Usherwood (Brent), Susan Wyatt (Ealing). This is lead by the Tree Council.
The Londoners Love Trees project for this year ended soon after the Kew volunteer celebration on 13 May 2012 until we hear if there is further funding. This group has met once a month since July last year and as a result Tree Warden networks have been set up London wide and in Ealing, Epping Forest, Wandsworth and Islington also two others Merton and Haringey have been reinvigorated.
The SPG for London working party is made up of Oliver Stutter (Southwark), Richard Edwards (Croydon), Chris Neilan (Epping Forest), Kirsty Hopla (Kingston). The group met twice to respond to the Mayor’s SPG consultation on preparing borough tree and woodland strategies.
The Canopy working party is made up of Jeremy Barrell (Consultant), Dave Lofthouse (Merton), Glynn Percival (Consultant), Jim Smith (FC), Keith Sacre (Nursery), Oliver Stutter (Southwark), Peter Marshall (Redbridge), Russell Horsey (Bristol). Dave Lofthouse is the chair.
The working party is currently in abeyance though a vast amount of work has been done, much of it by Jeremy Barrell, in preparing a comprehensive document. The next meeting is not yet scheduled but should occur in the summer months.
The i-TREE Canopy working party is made up of David Houghton (Camden) ; Dave Lofthouse (Merton) ; Paul Roberts (Hackney), Jake Tibbetts (Islington) Rupert Bentley Walls (Hackney) Richard Edwards (Croydon) Barbara Milne (Westminster). The working party will develop the work done by several boughs on local (LB) canopy figures and the GLA area. Numerous further studies are required to create the overlapping datasets which will provide mutual verification.
The PR group is made up of Andy Lederer (Islington), John Parker (TfL), Lynn Hunter (James Coles and Sons Nurseries), Richard Edwards (Croydon), Rupert Bentley Walls (Hackney). The aim is to raise awareness and the profile of the work of tree officers and what the LTOA does. And to provide high quality communications to do this. Some of the things they are working on are the LTOA’s 30th anniversary celebrations, keeping the website up to date, making the forum work, writing articles for the press, contacting other tree officer groups, presentations on the work of the LTOA to colleges and attending college open days.
