Leading Arboricultural and Ecological Consultants

TREES, ROOTS, FUNGI, SOIL
Below-Ground Ecosystem & Implications for Tree Health
13th November 2008

In this one-day event we brought together UK and international speakers with knowledge of interactions between saprotrophs, tree-root pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi to improve our understanding of below-ground interactions between fungi and trees, and the conditions for health and pathogenicity to support practitioners in their endeavours to beneficially influence tree health.

This conference examined the implications of climate change, pollution, high nitrogen levels, soil conditions and new tree diseases. It explored what constitutes a healthy environment in which trees can grow and different ways of addressing adverse impacts on functioning root activity. It concentrated on research into soil amelioration and processes that lead to breakdown in functioning soil ecology influencing ‘pathogenicity’. There was a strong focus on different experiments and experiences of soil ecology rejuvenation, including mineralization and whether these have universal relevance or are specific to certain ecosystems.
SPEAKERS
Prof. Lynne Boddy (Cardiff University)
Lecture 1: Underground mycology: The relations between fungi, soil and tree

Prof. Richard Bardgett (Lancaster University)
Lecture 2: Insights into the belowground ecology of forest ecosystems

Dr Lee Klinger (Independent scientist, USA)
Lecture 6: A holistic approach to mitigating pathogenic effects on trees: Case studies including use of soil amendments

Prof. Alan Gange (Royal Holloway)
Lecture 3: Climate change impacts on Woodland Saprotrophs &  Mycorrhizas

Dr. Nick Haycock (Haycock Associates Ltd / University of Manchester)
Lecture 4: Ground compaction, nitrogen & phosphorus deposition: the effects upon soil & water quality

Prof. Jan Čermák (Brno University)
Lecture 5: Tree eco-physiology:  Investigations into tree water relations, structure & growth

Please use the box below to continue the discussion of issues and ideas raised during this event.

The key to Climate Proofing our Cities (Part 1) Review has been published on the site.

This article was recently published in AA Newsletter issue 142 by Simon Richmond, Technical Officer, Arboricultural Association

Treework Environmental Practice have once again provided a comprehensive and thought provoking perspective on our attitude to trees. This conference, sponsored by the Forestry Commission, Barcham Trees, E Cosolis Ltd and Edenvale Young, in association with the Arboricultural Association and the Institute of Chartered Foresters, featured 13 invited speakers. Neville Fay of Treework Environmental Practice introduced the day along with Jeremy Barrell who has also been instrumental in creating and supporting this event and the day was then ably chaired by Professor Chris Baines, Broadcaster and Government Advisor on Environmental matters.

Read Review

Click Here to Comment (scroll to bottom of the page)

Temperatures in UK cities are predicted to rise by 3–7°C by the end of the century. Research indicates that a 10% increase in urban tree cover would completely neutralise this impact. According to the Trees in Towns II study trees are being lost at an alarming rate and urban deforestation is offering a hot future for city life.

With better co-ordination, within existing government guidance and management mechanisms, it is possible to achieve the level of canopy cover that will make the difference. This requires a strategy that, wherever possible, all large trees are conserved and planning and design ensures that we grow trees successfully to become big trees with big canopies.

This pioneering conference brought together a wide range of speakers to explore practical possibilities to reverse tree loss within the current planning framework. Our aim is to drive an initiative to achieve the required canopy increase. This can be done but only through the widest possible involvement between all relevant stakeholders, professions, government organisations, citizens groups, etc.

Please continue to provide us with your advice and ideas by using the comment box below. I invite you to become stake holders in this process by contributing to the blog.

Neville Fay, Principal Consultant Treework Environmental Practice

Treeworks Environmental Practice organised this landmark conference on behalf of the National Tree Safety Group (TSG), an inclusive association of stakeholders concerned with tree care, ownership, management and advice, formed with strong leadership from the Forestry Commission. Its intention is to develop an industry statement to guide all concerned.
The conference brought together a representative sample of some 300 people involved with trees. Speakers provided ten-minute presentations from the perspective of risk and tree professionals, governmental and non-governmental agencies, local authorities, the concerned citizen, the insurance industry, the legal sector and environmental science.

The key sessions focussed on what it means to be a stakeholder, balancing the benefits and enjoyment of trees with managing an acceptable level of risk. The structure of the conference allowed each speaker to make a statement from their respective stakeholder position. This brought out certain issues where, through clarification, debate and engaging an ever-widening group of stakeholders, there is potential for arriving at a national industry statement that will help the courts and assist managers, landowners and advisers to make risk management decisions for the benefit of a sustainable tree population.

At the end of each session a voting system was used to draw out particular threads relating to reasons for tree management and concerns associated with different sectors. This data will be considered by Prof. David Ball in a research project into the real and perceived aspects of tree risk, as a basis for informing future guidance for those involved in managing trees for public safety.

Please feel free to comment on the conference and its issues using comments below.

To keep you updated on events regarding the Anne Frank tree we are happy to report that the support construction for the horse chestnut in Amsterdam is near completion.

The tree was due to be cut down on 21 November 2007 but was granted a two-month reprieve with just one day to spare after weeks of judicial wrangling and international mass-media attention.
It is estimated the tree,suffering from an aggressive fungus known as ‘Artist’s Conk’ can survive for a further 5 –15 years with the necessary support.

The support construction will cost 50,000 euros with funds already donated by private individuals and local businesses. Firms carrying out the actual work are either doing so free of charge or at reduced rates. However, the Support Anne Frank Tree foundation has still to raise another 20,000 euros for further work on the crown, and an amount of some 10,000 euros will be needed each year for the tree’s continued maintenance.

Treework Environmental Practice have teamed up with Phillip van Wassenaer of Urban Forest Innovations of Canada to present a series of one-day seminars in the US covering the principles of veteran tree management, tree ecology and non-defensive arboriculture, including the role and relevance of device-based tree assessment in modern arboriculture as applied through reasonable risk decision-analysis.

Under the banner of ‘Conservation Arboriculture: Care of Veteran Trees’ these events will take place in North Carolina, Philadelphia and California in June. Click here to see more details.

A fourth seminar presented by Neville Fay, Principal Consultant, Treework Environmental Practice, will take place in Tacoma, Seattle.

This will be titled “Non-Defensive Conservation Arboriculture” – A European Perspective on Tree Management is in association with the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture & Metro Parks and will take place on June 24th 2008.

Click here for more details on the Seattle Seminar.

We’re slowly gathering together together information on previous Treework Environmental Practice Seminars which will be published over the coming month. Here are three that are already online.

Seminar 2 Review:
Tree Micro-Ecology: Perceptions of Disease & Decay in Trees:
Interpreting the Significance of Factors Affecting Tree Structure & Health

This Seminar took place in London and N.Yorkshire in 2005

Read more here: Seminar 2 Review:

Seminar 7 Review
Tree Morphology – a continuing story….
June 2007 – Bristol
This seminar, presented by Treework Environmental Practice in association with the Arboricultural Association, continued on the good work of an initial two-day Morphology seminar held in March 2006.

Read more here: Seminar 7 Review:

Seminar 8 Review
The Future of Tree Risk Management (Part II)
July 2007 – Bristol
Working Towards an Industry Led Framework for Tree Risk Assessment and Management
This was the second seminar in The Future of Tree Risk theme. It built on the success of the Treeworks Environmental Practice 2006 seminar that explored arboricultural policy, case law and risk management perspectives as a step towards raising the level of professional confidence in tree risk management.

Read more here: Seminar 8 Review:

The bookings for the 2008 Conferences and Seminars is now open.

A stakeholders’ conference in place of SEMINAR X
TREE MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
Towards an Industry Statement

TREES The Key to Climate Proofing our Cities, (Part 1)
A conference in place of SEMINAR XI

SEMINAR XII
TREES, ROOTS, FUNGI, SOIL
Below-Ground Ecosystem & Implications for Tree Health

Click here to Book

We will be announcing three new seminars for 2008 very shortly. Look out for full details in Seminars

May
A stakeholders’ conference in place of SEMINAR X

TREE MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY – Towards an Industry Statement

A ONE-DAY CONFERENCE
Following the success of the three Treework Environmental Practice seminars on Tree Risk Management, our scheduled Seminar 10 (The Future of Tree Risk Management Part 4) will be replaced by a conference to develop the work of the earlier seminars in taking forward the initiative to launch a National Tree Safety Forum.

July
Trees: the key to climate proofing our cities (Part 1)

A ONE-DAY CONFERENCE
Temperatures in UK cities are predicted to rise by 4–7°C in the next 30 years. Research indicates that a 10% increase in urban tree cover would completely neutralise this impact. However, trees are being lost at an alarming rate and urban deforestation is offering a hot future for city life.

November
Seminar XII
Trees, Roots, Fungi, Soil – Below-ground ecosystem & implications for tree health.

A ONE-DAY SEMINAR
In association with Cardiff University School of Biosciences

TEP are pleased to bring together UK and international speakers with knowledge of interactions between saprotrophs, tree-root pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi to improve our understanding of below-ground interactions between fungi and trees, and the conditions for health and pathogenicity to support practitioners in their endeavours to beneficially influence tree health.

At present, as far as I know, following court proceedings the tree has been given a reprieve pending preparation of another report in early February. Given assessments of its vitality, fungal colonisation, the recent stability evaluation and exploration of appropriate means of support to prevent future prospects of the tree’s failure, I would expect that the group (which includes a range of tree and other specialists) are optimistically exploring more fully the prospects for the tree’s retention.

For my part, I was in Holland to present the annual lecture of the Dutch Tree Foundation (Bomenstichting) and at that time was also interviewed at the AF tree by Dutch television and by CNN internet news. I know that the first programme went on air, having received positive and enthusiastic emails about it.

Neville Fay