Leading Arboricultural Consultants

Jim Smith, London Tree and Woodland Framework Manager, Forestry Commission
Challenges Facing our Tree Heritage

We need to consider our interaction between trees and trees with people.

Urban environments are not tree friendly, demonstrated by trees nearly bent double in supermarket car parks.

We need to integrate trees into our built environment more sympathetically with consideration to their natural system

“Highlights the importance of an integrated planning and management approach
e.g: trees are not plotted on the same maps as street lighting.”

Jim questions what our legacy is going to be? We have the benefits of the Victorian and Georgian tree plantings

“We have to value our tree resources and practice effective asset management.

Considering the management of Pests and Diseases there is no doubt that climate change is having a big impact.
Tree strategies need to consider this and we need to increase our knowledge base to have the information to allow us to act effectively.”

Jim announced that there would soon be the launch of the NTSG report – Common sense Risk Management.

“We need to adopt a proactive approach to tree management practice that works collaboratively.

We need trees to be providing the ecosystem services that make cities a better place to live. However our current tree planting programme will NOT provide the future residents of London with the same ecosystem services that we benefit from today.”