Trees and Design Action Group

The Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) is a world first
TDAG brings together a pioneering group of individuals, professionals and organisations from wide ranging disciplines in both the public and private sectors to increase awareness of the role of trees in the built environment. Learn about what we do

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News

Sir Terry Farrell, TDAG’s first Patron

Following his retirement as a trustee, we are delighted that Sir Terry Farrell has agreed to be TDAG’s first Patron.

New videos: background research and preview of TDAG's upcoming guide on tree species selection

Our recent March seminars offering a preview of TDAG's upcoming Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers were sold-out, and with waiting list... but fortunately, the London event was entirely filmed!

Don't miss Dr Andy Hirons and Dr Henrik Sjöman (the two lead authors of the guide) explaining our contemporary research and greater understanding of ecophysiology are shifting approaches to species selection, and how the upcoming TDAG guide will convey this information. The YouTube link below includes a playlist of three videos covering the the full programme of presentations offered on the day.

What are the basics that built environment practitioners need to know about urban air quality? Read our new guide!

It is recognised that air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to health. The design of our urban infrastructure – including green infrastructure – determines where air pollution is produced, and how it disperses. It is important to dispel myths and work with evidence in understanding air quality which built environment professionals should consider at all stages of urban design and development.

TDAG is pleased to have partnered with a distinguished group of academics* in producing some preliminary guidance – First Steps in Urban Air Quality: For Built Environment Practitioners, which is available from: http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/3069/

*First Steps in Urban Air Quality. A Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Guidance Document. UK: London. Ferranti, E.J.S., MacKenzie, A.R., Ashworth K., and Hewitt C.N. 2017.

LTOA releases a new online resource with suggested wording for tree-related planning conditions

The London Tree Officers Association (LTOA)'s Planning Working Party has released a new resource compiling suggestions for the wording of robust planning conditions related to landscaping, arboricultural supervision, tree protection, tree planting, tree pruning, and woodland management. The conditions detailed were not written to be standard conditions as there are few standard situations where they could be directly cut and pasted. They are a starting point, to be altered and changed to fit specific circumstances as seen fit. The LTOA Planning Working Party intends to keep updating this resource based on its on-going discussions on real-life cases experienced by the officers involved, as well as on feedback submitted by users via the LTOA Forum or email.

The LTOA Planning Condition resource is available for free from: www.ltoa.org.uk/resources/planning-conditions.

Greater Lyon Tree Charter: a must-read!

The Greater Lyon Tree Charter is now available in English. The Charter was designed by the Greater Lyon Authority as a partnership-building tool to enhance the long-term management of trees across France's third largest city. It offers a set of common principles, together with a powerful rationale for action and a rich set of ideas for implementation for wide ranging audiences. So far, over 100 local and national stakeholders (including Greater Lyon's 59 boroughs, utility companies, the French equivalent of the UK's Landscape Institute, some tree nurseries, etc.) have signed the Charter, committing themselves to adhere to its Principles and to develop their own action plan for implementation. Both the approach and the recommendations featured in the Greater Lyon Tree Charter are highly relevant and directly applicable to the management of trees in towns and cities on this side of the Channel! Click here to download your copy.

...More News here!

Guides

COMING SOON: Species Selection for Green Infrastructure
Register your interest here

Compiles the basics built environment professionals need to know about urban air quality and how urban infrastructure design – including green infrastructure – determines where air pollution is produced, and how it disperses.

Explores the practical challenges and solutions to delivering trees in 21st century streets, civic spaces and surface car parks, detailing process, design and technical options.

Offers 12 principles of best practice for all those involved in local decision making to ensure that our 21st century towns and cities are underpinned by a 21st century approach to urban trees, for maximum economic, social and environmental returns.

Videos

We filmed international guest speakers Dr Kathleen Wolf and Björn Embrén at our June 2015 seminars.