Past events
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In the case of presentations, please do not reproduce content without permission from the author.
Trees and Design Action Group Online Seminars and Discussions 13th May 2025.
Resilience through planning for trees Do we need adopted tree strategies or urban forest plans so that planners can ensure that trees and green infrastructure are prioritised in development decisions? Would this provide developers with a level playing field and enable them to incorporate the costs of trees and green infrastructure from the outset? Should tree officers be in planning departments to enable greater cross-sector collaboration? How do we ensure enforcement of trees in planning permissions? How do we ensure that the necessary aftercare and monitoring is carried out in terms of both financial support and clear responsibilities? This seminar seeks to answer some of these questions. Chair: Jane Findlay, Founding Director, FIRA and Past-President Landscape Institute Speakers: Resilient treescapes need resilient, adopted tree strategies – a review Eugene McGee, University of Birmingham 
Resilient treescapes need tree officers to be at the heart of planning and asset management
Dale Mortimer, Chair, London Tree Officers Association and Tree Service Manager, LB Ealing
An holistic approach for trees encompassing planning, asset management, strategy, and engagement
Joanna Davies, Arboricultural Officer, Cambridge City Council
Clear planning requirements enable developers to cost and implement resilient trees and green infrastructure
Lee Heykoop, Manager – Landscape, Master Developer and Design Team, Homes England
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references can be seen here soon. 3rd April 2025.
Resilience through canopy cover Trees are part of nature-based solutions (NbS) to deliver mitigation and adaptation to climate change while simultaneously providing benefits to biodiversity and people. This raises some key questions: – Do we know where our trees are and, importantly, where they are not? – How can we measure actual changes in the urban forest over time? – How can we model future changes at different scales and over different time spans? Urban Tree Canopy Cover (UTCC) assessment is one tool that can be used alongside ground-truthed data and tree inventory data – species, age, health – to help answer these questions. It is a method of quantifying how much of a given area is covered by the leaves, branches, and stems of trees and is usually expressed as a percentage. UTCC values and targets have become increasingly embedded in both planning policies and strategies in relation to the built environment, resulting in calls for canopy cover assessments for new development sites to include careful projections of the size of individual trees over 10-, 20-, 30-years. But there is no standardised method to do this. Why? Because it is really difficult as trees are individual, living beings that grow in response to their surroundings. In this seminar we’ll discuss the positives and negatives of the approaches to determine present and future canopy cover. Chair: John Rose, Senior Urban Forest Consultant, TreeCo2nomics An overview of the TDAG First Steps guides Deanne Brettle, PhD candidate, University of Birmingham and lead author
A strategic approach to canopy cover – First Steps Part 1
Hannah Walker, Urban Forest Research Scientist, Forest Research
How accurately can we predict canopy cover projects?
What are the uncertainties and how much does accuracy matter? – First Steps Part Luke Fay, Managing Director, Treework Environmental Practice
Delivering in practice and its impact
Chris Leyland, Tree Officer, Oxford City Council James Gregory, Tree Officer, Cornwall Council
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
25th February 2025.
Trees for human resilience and wellbeing This session was prompted by the inspirational evidence backed guidance developed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority on The Health Benefits of Urban Trees. What this guidance provides in one place is that each topic area relating to trees and health is backed by a reference to evidence-based research. This makes it a valuable tool for those who are trying to win the case for why investment in trees can deliver vital, cost saving benefits for improving community health. We will also hear about positive actions for trees and health in The Mersey Forest working with partners in the north of England. Join our seminar and put your questions to our expert speakers. Chair: Dr Suzanne Bartington, Clinical Associate Professor in Environmental Health, University of Birmingham Updating the health benefits of urban trees – guidance by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Dr Kathy Wolf, Research Social Scientist, Affiliate of College of Built Environments University of Washington Sharon Lam, Intermediate Research Scientist, Ecosystem and Climate Science, Watershed Planning and Ecosystem Science | Development and Engineering Services, TRCA
Assessing the benefits – lessons from The Mersey Forest
Gareth Howatson, Natural Health Service Co-ordinator, The Mersey Forest Dr Hannah Burnett, Postdoctoral Research Associate working within the GroundsWell Consortium
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
20th November 2024.
When is tree protection not tree protection? We are in climate and nature emergencies and this puts a spotlight on the benefits provided by our trees especially urban trees, and particularly mature ones, for the multiple benefits that they deliver including their contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity, placemaking, quality of life and health and wellbeing for all. The principal forms of protection for trees is through Tree Preservation Orders which are made by the local authority, along with trees in conservation areas, but cash-strapped councils can agree to tree felling because of the greater threat of financial loss if they are sued. But, whenever conflicts arise between trees and the built environment it seems that, too often, the trees lose out and, by their loss we all lose out and even more so in the case of big trees. There are questions to ask and alternative solutions to apply. How do we balance costs against benefits? Who are the decision makers? Building owners, their insurance providers and the local authority are central players, but many trees have an impact on the wider area and community for which the removal of an individual tree or trees might have a significant detrimental effect. The seminar will explore the issues and propose alternative solutions. Chair: Tony Kirkham MBE, author and former Head of the Arboretum, Gardens and Horticultural Services, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and TDAG Patron Why are we losing too many trees for many different reasons? Jeremy Barrell, Managing Director, Barrell Tree Consultancy What does the law say and how can we improve tree protection?
Sarah Dodd, Founder and Director, Tree Law
Tree protection in practice? How protective are TPOS and Conservation Areas?
Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Adviser, Forestry Commission
A Council’s Perspective
Cllr Simon Martin, Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council
What about the wider community?
Laura Ancell, local resident
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
29th October 2024.
Designing with trees With few exceptions too many trees planted today, in new developments or retrofitting, are small, shorter-lived species presumably seen as causing fewer disbenefits and requiring less space than larger trees. Some key questions to ask are: – Why are we planting a tree(s)? What are we trying to achieve? Is it for climate adaptation and/or climate mitigation? How can the way we design with trees enhance the quality of place for both people and nature? Are we in an area of social and environmental deprivation? Is there a requirement to increase canopy cover? Are there active travel routes that need canopy cover? Are trees part of surface water management and SuDS schemes? – Where are we planting tree(s) and what space is available belowground/at ground level/aboveground now and in the future (trees must be thought of in 4 dimensions)? – How large a tree can we plant and how can we design places that enable the planting of the larger forest trees that provide the greatest long-term benefits? Finally, understanding trees and which species will suit which location is part of the critical toolkit for designers. This session examines how ‘designing with trees’ is as serious as any other design endeavour – it needs purpose and clarity of outcome which will improve over time. Chair: Joe Stenson, Group Head of Urban Design at Barratt Developments plc The plant expert’s perspective – choosing species for multiple benefits in a changing climate Peter Thurman, Principal, The Thurman Consultancy
The landscape design perspective for healthy places and healthy streets
Lee Heykoop, Manager, Landscape, Master Development & Design team, Homes England
Case Study 1: Placemaking with trees
Ryan Murphy, Director, Bradley Murphy Design
Case study 2: Green space connectivity, guided by trees – trees as signposting for green space entrances and connectivity
Marion Preez, Director, Landscape Architect, Urban Pioneers
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
24th September 2024.
Local authority investment in trees and green infrastructure for multiple benefits Trees are part of our critical urban infrastructure. The majority of councils in the UK have declared climate emergencies and are committed to achieving net zero targets along with the need for climate resilience, economic development and improvements to health and wellbeing. The evidence shows that trees (and green infrastructure) can make a positive contribution towards achieving these ends. However, these ambitions are also being declared at a time when councils are financially challenged. Unfortunately, council budgets, along with national government, NHS and other budgets, are also controlled in silos and so the investment in one area of activity may not be reflected in the benefits gained by another. This is particularly so in the case of trees (and green infrastructure) which are actually an integral part of several budget areas such as health and wellbeing, placemaking and housing and job creation to name a few. This is especially problematic in the case of trees as trees potentially have, and should have, the longest lives of all elements of the natural environment in urban areas. This means that they may require a longer timeline to ensure that they have become established for longevity. This timescale, which may be up to 10 years in the case of street trees, is usually outside the budget timetable such that an annual tree revenue budget is rarely ringfenced for this purpose. Trees (and green infrastructure), despite the multiple benefits delivered, are not often given the priority spending that is needed – but trees have moved up the agenda from ‘nice to have’ to key players in future urban climate change resilience and healthy placemaking. How do we resolve these conflicts to provide a better environment for trees and people? Chair: Julia Thrift, Director, Healthier Placemaking TCPA Demonstrating the cost benefit for trees and green infrastructure using CIRIABest Adrien Baudrimont, Senior Research Manager, CIRIA
Making the case for local authority investment in green infrastructure
Dr Ingo Schüder, Director, Brillianto
TreesAI – What we’ve learned in Glasgow and beyond
Chloe Treger, TreesAI UK Lead, Dark Matter Labs
Coed Caerdydd – a 10-year programme to increase tree cover
Christopher Engel, Project Manager, Coed Caerdydd, Cardiff Council
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
18th July 2024.
Engaging with communities to support local tree planting and deliver change The importance of ‘community engagement’ is a big topic for many trying to deliver development projects or tree planting on public land. There is often an implication that the community will be ‘engaged with’ as and when it is necessary. However, there is another side to local groups which want to engage in their own right to plant trees in their own communities but often do not have access to, or the funds to access, the level of professional advice and guidance that will enable successful outcomes to reflect their aims which, when all works well, are demonstrated by the ‘arboretum town’ status that some community groups are achieving. So, we have the classic ‘top down or bottom up’ situation. Given the increasing community interest in trees and the need to capture and encourage this enthusiasm, what guidance do local communities need? This session will explore these challenges. Chair: Esme Jones, Engagement and Marketing Director, Trees for Cities Public engagement to build a shared vision Phil Bixby, My York Central
The importance of community engagement roles in Urban Foresty
Catherine Nuttgens, Consultant Urban Forester
Creating our urban arboretum
Audrey Jarvis, Lewes Urban Arboretum Project
Stonehouse Community Arboretum
John Parker, Chief Executive, Arboricultural Association Useful arboricultural guidance for community tree projects
Keith Sacre, Urban Forestry Director, Barcham Trees
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
21st May 2024.
Getting it right for trees on streets and highways How can we ensure that street trees are regarded as assets, part of our critical infrastructure, rather than as liabilities? One of the key requirements is to ensure that planting is carried out in the correct way to support tree establishment and avoid some of the common concerns expressed by highways departments asked to adopt them. TDAG was invited to produce technical working drawings for street trees in a number of typical scenarios/common locations in both new streets and retrofitting in existing streets. The document, which is being developed by the Forestry Commission and TDAG, Civic Engineers and Urban Design Learning with DLUHC support, will be useful for the implementation of the National Planning Policy Framework Clause 136 (all new streets to be tree-lined), for local authorities for the development of the required Authority Wide Urban Design Codes and, in due course, to support the updated Manual for Streets 3. Chair: Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Adviser, Forestry Commission The challenges for existing streets Robert Huxford, Director, Urban Design Group
Why highway engineers welcome technical planting guidance
Hen Abbott, Highways Engineer, Gloucestershire County Council
The benefits for developing Authority Wide Urban Design Codes
Esther Kurland, Director, Urban Design Learning
Understanding the process to get the specification and contractual/technical drawings right
Chris Kendrick, Associate Director, Civic Engineers
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
20th March 2024.
Tree species selection and how to get it right in a changing climate ‘Which species should we plant?’ is one of the most common questions sent in to the Trees and Design Action Group. How do we answer that? Firstly, what is the strategic context? Many local authorities have developed Urban Forest Masterplans/Tree Strategies and the starting point for these should be the strategic vision – the mission statement. Evidence now shows us that we need to consider our local tree populations as a whole so that we avoid becoming over dependent on one species such that there could be a catastrophic decline in the urban forest if this species is compromised by a changing climate, pests or pathogens. Secondly, having got our strategic vision, what do we do? There are several principles to understand before decisions about species selection can be made. These principles span issues from climate change and risk to how to tree establishment. Thirdly, another vital element in species selection for the future is to know what you already have. What is your tree inventory? Finally, with the above clearly understood, you can consider which species of trees to select; this is where TDAG’s Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers will help. However, the guidance is not prescriptive, it simply helps to lead the specifier through a decision-making process. This seminar will explore the issues surrounding species selection and how all those engaged – landscape architects, developers, planners and arboriculturists – can make decisions that will support future resilience of the urban forest. Chair: Phil Askew, Director of Landscape and Placemaking, Peabody The strategic context Glenn Gorner, Natural Environment Manager, Leeds City Council
10 principles for tree success
Andy Hirons, Senior Lecturer in Arboriculture, University Centre, Myerscough and co-author of Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers
Know what you have – how to use tree inventories creatively
Kenton Rogers, Director and Co-founder, Treeconomics
Using TDAG’s Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers – a review and update
Andy Hirons, Senior Lecturer in Arboriculture, University Centre, Myerscough and co-author of Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
15th February 2024.
International update – common challenges, common barriers The challenges and barriers presented by difficult environments can be common issues for us all. This seminar explores three very different situations – Brussels, Riyadh and Ukraine and how to respond to each. Brussels: Julien Ruelle will outline the ‘renature.brussels’ campaign to create and spread a story around the ‘Nature City’ as a desirable and beneficial environment for all Brussels’ residents. The message is clear – we must learn to share the city with Brussels’ other inhabitants, namely its fauna and flora. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Dorella Pinter Burus will outline the ambitions and aims of the Green Riyadh project illustrating the scale of planting being carried out in the city. She will focus of specific projects discussing their complexities and challenges to be faced in harsh climatic conditions. Ukraine: John Parker and Yana Bobrova will discuss the situation in Ukraine and how even in times of conflict trees remain on the agenda and can be seen as a focus for the positive. Chair: Tony Kirkham MBE, former Head of Arboretum, Gardens & Horticulture Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Vice-President of the Arboricultural Association and TDAG Patron Introducing ‘renature.brussels’
Julien Ruelle, Head of the Department for Nature Development, Bruxelles Environnement, TDAG’s European partner
Landscape at the edge
Dorella Pinter Burus, Consultant, BPLA, Riyadh
Protecting trees in places of conflict
John Parker, Chief Executive, Arboricultural Association Yana Bobrova, Executive Director and Co-founder Peli can live, Rotarian
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
16th January 2024.
Time for optimism: tree stories from around the UK Trees have undoubtedly risen up the agenda significantly in both local policy-making, recognition of benefits, delivery and research. This session looks at some of the approaches taking place across the UK. Chair: Tony Kirkham MBE, former Head of Arboretum, Gardens & Horticulture Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Vice-President of the Arboricultural Association and TDAG Patron Urban GreenUp – lessons from Liverpool
Juliet Staples, Senior Project Manager, Urban GreenUp, Liverpool City Council Elaine Cresswell, Director, reShaped Landscape Architecture
Belfast’s new 10-year tree strategy led by public consultation to connect the city’s residents to nature
Alan McHaffie, Senior Woodland and Recreation Adviser, Belfast City Council John Rose, Senior Urban Forest Consultant, Treeconomics
Target Neighbourhoods, Clyde Climate Forest
Chris Stark MICFor, Head of Forestry & Land Services, GAT & Director, Clyde Climate Forest
Trees and Planning in Wales
Siobhan Wiltshire, Planning Policy Team, Welsh Government
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
13th December 2023.
Tree costs and financing options You have identified the key issues of why, when, what and how, but all actions, whether in new developments or retrofitting, come with costs. We know that trees can deliver multiple social, economic and environmental benefits but, while these are quantifiable – such as the saving to health of improving air quality, they rarely offer actual ‘cash’ inputs. So, the costs of planting and ensuring ongoing survival and success (maintenance) are real costs that have to be paid. What are these costs and what methods have been shown to be successful and fair to all in financing them? For adopted street trees we really need a national standard for commuted sums – a question for the meeting is how to develop this? So, overall, what are the actual costs and what methods have been shown to be successful and fair to all in financing them? Chair:
Dr Susannah Gill, The Mersey Forest What does it cost to plant and maintain a tree in hard and soft landscapes?
Philip Simpkin, Natural Environment Officer, Buckinghamshire Council
Cost benefit comparison of smaller and larger tree planting and impact on the ecosystem, sense of place and community
Luke Fay, Managing Director, Treework Environmental Practice
Urban Forest Accelerator – a costing approach
Anne Jaluzot, Green Infrastructure Planning Consultant and David Coughlin, Project Manager, Urban Forest Accelerator for the National Trust
Funding support for local authorities
Rob Taylor, Scientific Officer – Tree Health, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
15th November 2023.
First Steps in Urban Water: Managing Water as a Resource After air, water is the most essential element for life. Climate change is impacting weather patterns with more, heavy rainstorms and longer hot dry periods exposing us to both flooding and drought. Some parts of the UK are severely water challenged. How we manage our water and especially our urban water is a major challenge. We cannot continue to use water as freely in some places, we need to consider natural flood management upstream to avoid downstream (urban) flooding, and we need to focus on sustainable drainage systems (greenblue infrastructure) to manage urban surface water. We need to treat water as a precious resource in our decision making. This new TDAG guidance outlines how this can be done. Chair:
Cllr Katie Thornborrow, Executive for Planning, Building Control & Infrastructure, Cambridge City Council Overview of the document and why we need a wholistic approach
Pete Stevens, AJS Flood Risk Consulting Ltd
Natural flood management
Amanda Crossfield, NFM Programme Manager at Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust
SuDS – getting it right
Ian Titherington, Senior Adviser – Sustainable Drainage, Welsh Government
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
18th October 2023.
Closing the performance gap: Tree establishment and their aftercare and recovery At TDAG we prefer to talk about ‘establishing trees’ rather than ‘planting trees’. However, at some point in time the tree is ‘planted’ so what will ensure success to achieve establishment and long-term independence to avoid what we now see as the ‘performance gap’ between planting ambition and tree survival. This would seem to be too often the situation in the case of street trees. This session poses the questions to clarify the simple steps that are needed following the actual planting (assuming right place, right method which was discussed in the previous session) and why so many trees that are ‘planted’ fair to thrive. Chair:
Colleen O’Sullivan, Tree Officer, London Borough of Camden and Chair, London Tree Officers Association How do we close the performance gap and enable ‘establishment’?
Keith Sacre, Urban Forestry Director, Barcham Trees
When do you remove protection and decide the tree is independent in the landscape?
Rupert Bentley-Walls, Senior Arboricultural Officer, Suffolk Council
Does planting size make a difference for trees to establish?
Andy Hirons, Senior Lecturer – Arboriculture, University Centre, Myerscough
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
20th September 2023.
Carbon storage, net zero and a low carbon public realm – how do we put it all together? The ambition expressed for net zero or at least low carbon buildings, whether new build or retrofit, should also be extended to the spaces between to achieve a low carbon the public realm. This represents numerous challenges from choices of materials to the introduction of trees and nature-based solutions to lighting, modes of transport and how people’s behaviour responds. Chair:
Amy Burbidge, Head of Master Development and Design, Homes England Street design and net zero carbon – and how you can reduce embodied and whole life carbon from the choices you make about street design
Graeme Phillips, Partner, JTP Changing attitudes and use to repurposing street space
Charlotte Glazier, Programme Manager, Greening the public realm in Islington Ludo Pittie, Director and Head of Landscape, WSP
Tree Management with Carbon Dioxide Uptake Calculations
David Winlo, Director, Mapscape Presentation available here. Retaining embodied carbon – an afterlife for felled trees
Joel De Mowbray, Creative Director, Yes Make
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
19th July 2023.
Trees and the underground (Part B) – which method to use where, why and how Of course, trees need to be considered in four dimensions – what their roots are doing underground, what their trunks are doing at ground level, what their canopies are doing above ground and how all of these change and increase over the fourth dimension of time. At TDAG we do not talk about ‘tree planting’ we talk about ‘tree establishment’ and the key to successful establishment, apart from the health and quality of the tree stock, is ‘where’ and ‘how’ the trees in planted in the first place. This seminar will take a balanced look at different planting methods and which method is most appropriate for which location with a particular focus on street trees and podium planting. Chair:
Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Adviser, Forestry Commission Speakers:
What highway engineers need to understand about planting highway trees in hard and soft landscapes
Hen Abbott, Principal Highways Coordinator, Gloucestershire County Council
Stockholm 20 years on
Bjorn Embren, Arboricultural Consultant and former tree officer for the City of Stockholm
Or do we combine methods?
Martin Gammie, Director, Consulting with Trees
Case study: podium garden in Seething Lane, City of London and the role of cell systems
Steve Chatwin-Grindey, Commercial Director DeepRoot Urban Solutions
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
15th June 2023.
Trees and the underground (Part A) – understanding the conditions, regulations and relationship with utilities The ‘underworld’ is a heavily contested space and there can be claims made by users to protect ‘their’ surroundings which may or may not be supported by law or regulations. Unfortunately, in England, we did not take a comprehensive approach to underground space soon enough and this has led to extensive ‘rights’ exercised by utility companies. In the case of highways (carriageways and footways), the retrofitting of shared service ducts is expensive and unlikely to happen in many cases. This is causing many of our highways to be closed for utilities access and not necessarily reinstated to the standard required and in some cases after extensive and expensive public realm improvements have been made. Shared service ducts should be mandatory for all new developments so that the problem is not perpetuated. This seminar will outline the issues, questioning some of the ‘myths’ around the ‘conflict’ between tree roots and services and propose some solutions going forward. Chair:
Nicole Metje, Professor of Infrastructure Monitoring, University of Birmingham Speakers:
Mapping – what is there?
Holger Kessler, Science Lead, Future of the Subsurface, Government Office for Science
Rules and regs – what can go where, overcoming conflicts with utilities?
Pete Stevens, Environmental Consultant, AJS Flood Risk Consulting Ltd
From masterplan to underground – above ground aspiration to below ground delivery
John Rose, Urban Forest Consultant, Treeconomics
Root barriers – when to use, when not to use and long-term ineffectiveness
Keith Sacre, Urban Forestry Director, Barcham Trees
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
19th May 2023. Trees, Planning and Development in Scotland
How can the planning system, policy and practice help protect and expand our trees and which make up our Urban Forests? We need to protect and expand the trees and woodlands which collectively make up our Urban Forests for the multiple social, economic and environmental benefits that they can deliver. However, ambition as represented by government policies (NPF4) and recent legislation (Planning Scotland Act 2019) along with the need for healthy place making and climate resilience, does not often or, indeed, very rarely coincides with successful delivery on the ground. The seminar posed three key questions:
It also explored the steps required to make a positive shift in the planning and development process aligned with emerging policy and best practice to inform and empower those working in planning and development control and those involved with delivery on site. Chair:
Fiona Melville, Introduction and Summary
Speakers:
Brian Mark Evans, Outreach\Output\Outcome
Simon Brooks, Biodiversity and Development
Steve Milne, How Does the Planning Process for Trees and Biodiversity Work in Practice?
Emilie Wadsworth, The Central Scotland Green Network: Planning and NPF4
Douglas Worrall, Using Planning Policies and Partnership Working to Deliver Sustainable Greenspaces and Woodlands
Dr Fiona Simpson, Planning Policy and Delivery
9th May 2023. Trees and Subsidence – understanding the issues, balancing the solutions, reducing future problems
Subsidence can occur for low rise buildings (up to four storeys) on shrinkable soils whether or not trees or other vegetation are present. In cases where trees are implicated, we need to consider the relationship between trees and buildings in the context of climate change given the evidence- based roles that trees can play to reduce urban heat, reduce peak flows with heavy rain events apart from their many other benefits for carbon storage, ecosystem services, increased health and wellbeing and of course their value to placemaking and general quality of place. Factoring ‘tree value’ into the equation will influence the approach to identifying the best overall solutions to subsidence issues. This session will explore the issues to seek a balance approach to resolving present problems and reconsidering low rise construction to mitigate them in the future. Chair:
Robin Nicholson CBE, Hon FIStructE, Convenor of the Edge, Fellow Cullinan Studio Speakers:
The anticipated impacts of climate change on subsidence patterns across the country Tim Farewell, Independent academic and environmental data scientist
What is subsidence and what causes it? How can we ‘future proof’ low rise construction going forward?
John Patch, Director, Team Patch and Honorary Member, ASUC
The relationship between existing trees and subsidence and how to make decisions taking into account tree value and ecosystem services in a changing climate
Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Adviser, Forestry Commission
Trees, subsidence and the law
Sarah Dodd, Founder, Tree Law
Community perspective
Representatives of SHIFT
In association with: Institution of Structural Engineers
A recording of the event can be seen here.
Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
24th April 2023. Creating climate resilient urban treescapes
Our climate is changing, and hotter temperatures and heatwaves will become more frequent. Trees are vital during hot weather events for they provide urban residents with shade and have a localised cooling effect on the surrounding neighbourhood. But trees also need to be resilient to hot temperatures, and their survival and cooling ability often depends on their access to water. This hybrid event brought together a range of perspective and professions to consider the impact of summer 2022 on street trees, and how we provide towns and cities with a diverse and resilient palette of trees that can thrive in challenging urban environments. Introduction TDAG Workshop by RECLAIM network
Session One – Warming future climates
Summer 2022 and changing UK climate Dr Emma Ferranti, University of Birmingham
Impact of summer 2022 on urban street trees
Chryse Tinsley, Landscape Architect and Ase Wilson, Tree Officer, Leicester City Council
Trees influence climate and climate influence trees
Dr Madalena Vaz Monteiro, Forest Research
Session Two – Tree species selection for warming climate
What do warmer temperatures mean for trees? Dr Jon Banks and Chris Percival, Bartlett Tree Research
Tree species selection for a warmer climate
Dr Andy Hirons, Myerscough College
Warmer climates and the implications for pests and diseases
Dr Harry Watkins, St Andrews Botanic Garden
Session Three – Planting for future resilient urban treescapes
Designing with trees – what are you trying to achieve? Dr Phil Askew, Director Landscape and Placemaking, Peabody
Strategic planning for trees, a 30-year perspective
Simon Needle, Principal Arb. & Principal Ecologist, Birmingham City Council
Optimising tree selection for future ecosystem services
Dr Lis Larsen, RHS
Tree nursery methods – which one and why?
Keith Sacre, Urban Forestry Director, Barcham Trees
A recording of the event can be seen here.
8th February 2023. Why plant a tree?
Urban trees help address many of the challenges of modern society including mitigating carbon emissions, contributing to climate resilience and adaptation, restoring natural capital and increasing biodiversity, enabling and facilitating active travel, and promoting mental and physical well-being. In the last few years, tree planting has never been higher on social and political agendas, and there are numerous national (e.g. Local Authority Treescape Fund, Urban Tree Challenge Fund, Nature for Climate Fund) and regional (e.g. Severn Trent Commonwealth Forests) initiatives for planting trees. Trees are becoming increasingly embedded in national and local policies and strategies including: England Trees Action Plan; 2021 Revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, particularly clause 131; the Re-Treefit campaign from the RTPI; and city-scale policies such as Birmingham’s Urban Forest Master Plan or Wycombe and Cornwall Councils integrating sites-focused canopy covers targets into to their Local Plans. The current resource and policy for tree planting present an unprecedented opportunity to provide equitable access to urban trees and help address broader urban inequalities, linking into the Levelling Up agenda. With so many good reasons to plant a tree, how can we prioritise planting locations, and strategically design urban green infrastructure? This session will consider the 3-30-300 rule in practice, and provide local authority perspectives. Chair: Alan Simson, Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture, Leeds Beckett University. Presentation One: 3-30-300 in practice
Professor Cecil Konijnendijk, co-worker, Nature Based Solutions Institute.
Presentation Two: How the Urban Forest Masterplan is addressing tree inequalities in the city
Simon Needle, Chief Arboriculturist and Ecologist, Birmingham City Council.
Presentation Three: Developing local tree strategies
Anne Jaluzot, Independent Green Infrastructure Consultant and TDAG.
7th December 2022. Understanding the value and fragility of ‘soil’
Our ‘soils’, along with water, are one of our most valuable resources. Sadly, we have allowed our soils to be depleted, not just in our agricultural practices but more generally including in our towns and cities. If we want urban trees to grow then we must provide a healthy growing medium within the best tree rooting environments we can create. Section 3.1.4 of Trees in Hard Landscapes dispels the ‘topsoil myth’ and also emphasises the importance of using existing soil where fit for purpose as opposed to the environmental harm of importing soil. Soil is also a front-line contributor to carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. This session invites experts in the field to explain why caring for our soil is so vital. Chair: Tony Kirkham MBE, former Head of Arboretum, Gardens & Horticulture Services, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Vice-President of the Arboricultural Association and TDAG Patron. Speakers: Fungi – the missing link in tree planting schemes Aileen Baird, Lead Advisor for Tree Action Plan Delivery, Natural England.
Urban trees – creating biologically vibrant soil for long term sustainability
Glynn Percival, senior arboricultural researcher at Bartlett Tree Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Reading.
Soil management through the planning and construction stages of development projects
Birgit Höntzsch, Senior Project Lead, Cornwall Council.
Protecting soils through ecologically guided project implementation
Luke Engleback, Studio Engleback.
Partners: Arboricultural Association, IEMA
Useful references: https://theconversation.com/fungi-the-missing-link-in-tree-planting-schemes-175008 [email protected] https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/sustainable-soils/2021/10/06/soils-in-planning-and-construction-task-force/ https://www.iema.net/resources/blog/2022/02/17/launch-of-new-eia-guidance-on-land-and-soils A recording of the event can be seen here. Meeting Chat – comments, questions and references are in the below PDF.
22nd November 2022. Tree research project and the Future of UK Treescapes
Evidence based research is critical for improving practice on the ground. In this session Clive Potter and Julie Urquhart, UK Treescapes Ambassadors, gave and update on current and proposed research for the Future of UK Treescapes; Andrew Hirons shared his research on the water use of trees; Nick Cork outlined his research plans for linear routes and biodiversity; Mark Syrett updated his experimental highway planting methods and Russell Ball made an impassioned plea for more research to close the performance gap between tree planting and tree survival. Speakers: Professor Clive Potter and Dr Julie Urquhart, the Future of UK Treescapes Ambassadors.
A recording of the event can be seen here.
4th October 2022. The critical role of trees in making healthy places that support mental and physical wellbeing
The pandemic has demonstrated the vital role of trees and green spaces in supporting peoples’ physical and mental health. Evidence tells us that the most common diseases are the non-communicable ones such as obesity, heart disease, type II diabetes and, very significantly, mental health issues of various kinds. If more people are going to be living in cities, then part of urban resilience is ensuring that these are places where people can thrive. This session considers how we can put a monetary value on the mental health benefits of trees, and describes how the National Forest are working with communities to increase their usage of the forest. Chair: Chryse Tinsley, Landscape Planner, Leicester City Council. Speakers: Dr Vadim Saraev, Economist, Forest Research.
Heather Gilbert, Research and Evidence Manager, National Forest.
Zoe Sewter, The Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer, National Forest.
Partners: Landscape Institute and Town and Country Planning Association Useful references: Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places (2013) Landscape Institute available at: https://landscapewpstorage01.blob.core.windows.net/www-landscapeinstitute-org/2013/11/Public-Health-and-Landscape_FINAL_single-page.pdf Putting Health into Place: Lessons from NHS England’s Healthy New Towns programme: https://tcpa.org.uk/resources/putting-health-into-place/ A recording of the event can be seen here. 14th September 2022. First Steps in Trees and New Developments
This online workshop explored and discussed the latest TDAG guidance in the ‘first steps’ series, this time looking at trees in new developments. The guide is for all working in the built environment – planners, designers, developers, highway engineers and other stakeholders. National planning policies and guidance across the UK increasingly emphasise the need for trees in new developments. At a time when pressure to provide new housing is high, it can seem daunting to make space for trees while meeting viability and housing number targets. Yet, by adhering to simple principles of good practice from pre- to post-planning, such an ambition can be met. This short guide explains how. Chair: Dr Emma Ferranti, Department of Engineering, University of Birmingham and co-author. Speakers: Anne Jaluzot, Urban Green Infrastructure Planning Consultant and co-author.
Vassili Papastavrou, Bristol Tree Forum.
Irina Merryweather, Group Urban Designer at Taylor Wimpey.
A recording of the event can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdRXl9ACU0&t=10s
16th June 2022. Tree Mapping Workshop – curated by TDAG with Forest Research and the University of Birmingham BIFoR
A half day workshop to better understand the contemporary and emerging tree maps, the wider tree mapping landscape and how integrated they are with other elements of decision making that could influence the placement of trees. Given the critical role that trees are expected to play, are existing tree maps working together for the greater good, and do we need an agreed national opensource government supported mapping system for trees and land use? Following the success and support for this workshop the partners are working with the Geospatial Commission on ‘next steps’. Chair: Holger Kessler, Geospatial Commission – Cabinet Office. Presenters: National Tree Map, Ralph Coleman, Sales Director, Bluesky.
Ordnance Survey, Kitty Rose, Strategic Development Manager.
TreePlotter Canopy, Russell Horsey, Director and Urban Forestry Consultant at Goetre Villa Ltd.
Treezilla + Branching Out, Dr Phil Wheeler, Senior Lecturer, Open University.
Open street map, Jerry Clough, Open Street Map User SK53.
Mapping trees outside of woodland, Dr Kevin Watts, Forest Research Science Group Leader, and Ben Ditchburn, Head of NCEA.
Pioneering Nature Based Smart City Solutions, Sven König, Director greehill DACH, Nordics & UK.
Greentalk, Paul Wood, Director, Greentalk Ltd.
Natural England, Martin Moss, Senior Adviser, Green Infrastructure.
Environment Agency, Alastair Duncan, Geomatics Technical Specialist.
Historic England, Jenifer White, Natural Landscape Advisor.
Responders:
Links and references:
A recording of the event can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5H2-eFKMHg
Vicky Bowskill captured the salient points raised in a graphic presentation which can be seen below. 
8th June 2022. How can planning help us increase our urban trees?
National planning policies and the Environment Act support the role of urban trees. But this needs to be turned into action on the ground. This session will look at how this can be achieved by developing tree strategies that deliver, by demonstrating the financial and other values that trees provide and by understanding that issues such as density do not have to be a barrier to incorporating urban trees in development projects. Chair: Maria Dunn, MRTPI | Head of Development Policy | Planning and Development | Inclusive Growth, Birmingham City Council. Speakers: Wholistic planning for trees – how to make it deliver Anne Jaluzot, Green Infrastructure Planning Consultant and lead TDAG researcher and writer. Understanding the 4-dimensional life of trees and how to integrate trees and density Luke Fay, Managing Director, Treework Environmental Practice. Partner: Institute of Chartered Foresters and Royal Town Planning Institute A recording of this event can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnJjnK0J1Sw Useful references: Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers. A Hirons, H. Sjoman for TDAG available at: https://www.tdag.org.uk/tree-species-selection-for-green-infrastructure.html Trees Planning and Development: A Guide for Delivery available at: https://www.tdag.org.uk/trees-planning-and-development.html First Steps in Working with Trees in Developments: forthcoming summer 2022 12th May 2022. Trees and SuDS
This discussion focuses on trees and sustainable urban drainage in practice – why we need to incorporate SuDS in all new build along with an urgent need to retrofit in existing streets. Chair: Jeremy Barrell, Managing Director, Barrell Tree Consultancy. How SuDS and trees can make great partners Sue Illman, Managing Director, Illman-Young, PPLI, co-author of the CIRIA SuDS Construction Manual and CIC Champion for Flood Mitigation and Resilience. Presentation slides here:
How to integrate street trees, SuDS and hard landscapes
Bob Bray, Founding Director, Robert Bray Associates. Presentation slides here:
Live trees and SuDS experiment in Brighton – a virtual site visit
Mark Syret, Projects Officer, Cityparks, Brighton and Hove City Council. A recording of this event can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMUQaeHa7uQ 5th April 2022. How can we deliver and maintain trees in highways successfully?
Street trees have a crucial role in climate resilience, water quality and surface water management, traffic calming, sustainable travel and more. The National Policy Planning Framework calls for all new streets to have trees (Clause 131); the National Model Design Code identifies many situations in which street trees are included in placemaking; Homes England’s Streets for a Healthy Life demonstrates the importance of trees. Manual for Streets has been revised and TDAG is leading on the production of technical guidance and drawings to show how trees can be planted in a variety of new and retrofit situations. On the other hand, cash and time pressed highway officers are concerned that the retention, integration and management of trees diverts attention from their primary tasks and impacts on their budgets. How do we break this impasse? How do we empower and inspire all those engaged with trees and highways to embrace the valuable role that trees play and the many benefits they deliver? How can we ‘bust’ some of the cost concerns and resolve the thorny issue of commuted sums and what they could and should be as part of national guidance? This session will explore some of the issues so that we move from ‘can’t be done’ to ‘can be done’ … and ‘we want to get it right for the long term’. Chair: Hen Abbott, Principal Development Coordinator, Economy, Environment and Infrastructure, Gloucestershire County Council (confirmed). Why healthy streets are a good starting point Annabel Keegan, Associate Director, PJA (confirmed). Getting street tree planting right for the long term Jim Smith, Urban Forestry Adviser, Forestry Commission (confirmed). Updating Manual for Streets – integrating street trees Sally Gibbons, MEng MCIHT | Head of Traffic Signs and Street Design Policy, Traffic and Technology Division, Department for Transport. Partners: Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) and Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) The recording from this session is available here. Useful references: Trees in Hard Landscapes: A Guide for Delivery available at: https://www.tdag.org.uk/trees-in-hard-landscapes.html Streets for a Health Life Homes England available at: https://www.tdag.org.uk/uploads/4/2/8/0/4280686/04791-sfhl_issue-01.pdf Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure: A Guide for Specifiers. A Hirons, H. Sjoman for TDAG available at: https://www.tdag.org.uk/tree-species-selection-for-green-infrastructure.html 15th March 2022. White Rose Urban Forest Action Plan
Glenn Gorner, Natural Environment Manager, Leeds City Council. Plan available at: https://whiteroseforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/White-Rose-Forest-Action-Plan-2021-25.pdf Presentation available here:
Cornwall Council: Canopy Policy (G3) and Canopy Calculator
Matthew Odgers-Brown, Arboriculture and Tree Risk Management Officer, Cornwall Council. Available here:
7th February 2022. Connecting urban green space, health and climate
How can we make the connection between urban and peri-urban green space, human health, and climate change? This seminar will explore these issues, specifically: How can we optimise the climate and human health outcomes of urban forestry to provide professionals who are working at the intersection of climate, public health and urban forestry with resources to support climate adaptation planning and activities? Dr Kathleen Wolf, Research and Social Scientist, College of the Environment, University of Washington and affiliate of the US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Is it time to radically rethink the purpose of England’s green belts to improve their accessibility, quality and benefits to people, the environment and the economy? Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making at the TCPA (Town & Country Planning Association). A recording of the presentations here: https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/rec/share/-x_7Y-bt35nHykTvvrnmDHVFTYLkwX8r26RrRr2GdrBS98_50b8erUac5fSSPQDQ.Qw20BtoOcoxJxAAh Passcode: cB5N19L& Useful references: Wolf, K.L., Lam, S.T., McKeen, J.K., Richardson, G.R.A., van den Bosch, M., Bardekjian, A.C. 2020. Urban trees and human health: A scoping review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 17, 12, 4371. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4371 Barron, S., Nitoslawski, S., Wolf, K.L., Woo, A., Desautels, E., Sheppard, S.R.J. 2019. Greening blocks: A conceptual typology of practical design interventions to integrate health and climate resilience co-benefits. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, 4241. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4241 Janowiak, M.K., Brandt, L.A., Wolf, K.L., Brady, M., Darling, L., Lewis, A.D., Fahey, R.T., Giesting, K., Hall, E., Henry, M., Hughes, M., Miesbauer, J.W., Marcinkowski, K., Ontl, T., Rutledge, A., Scott, L., Swanston, C.W., 2021. Climate adaptation actions for urban forests and human health. Gen. Tech. Rep. Nrs-203., Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, p. 115. https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/62807 10th June 2021. Collaboration & engagement for urban greening
Dr Nicola Dempsey (University of Sheffield), Lawrence Heijbroek (Sheffield City Council), Ed Chivers (Urban Green Newcastle), and Richard Barnes (Newcastle City Council). 17th March 2021. Save Our Street Trees Alice Whitehead, founder of Save Our Street Trees, gave an inspiring talk about what a community group can achieve to a recent TDAG meeting. Save Our Street Trees campaigns for the protection and planting of urban street trees as a result of increasing concern about the poor maintenance and disappearance of street trees in Northampton. Alice’s presentation can be seen here. 10th March 2021. National Model Urban Design Code For the second in this series of events, hosted by the Urban Design Group, presenters drawn from different areas of expertise within the built environment will talk about the draft National Model Design Code. Recordings available here: https://www.udg.org.uk/events/2021/national-model-design-code-event-2 22nd October 2020. Sue James in conversation about the history of the Trees and Design Action Group Sharon Durdant-Hollamby, Vice President of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, invites the Trees and Design Action Group to a ‘Tree Lady Talks’ conversation. Sue James, one of the founding members, reflects on the group’s history, and discusses ongoing and future work. Available here ... and scroll down. 6th March 2020. Futurebuild 2020 Urban Forest Pavilion Talks Videos available here.
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The Stockholm Solution
Bjorn Embren, arboricultural manager for the Municipality of Stockholm (2015). How to cost effectively scale-up sustainable drainage solutions, reduce waste, provide renewable energy, and facilitate community participation while achieving healthy and lasting growth for urban trees in hard landscapes. A Pdf of the presentation here:
The impact of urban trees on people’s health and on shopping districts
Dr Kathleen Wolf, Social Scientist, University of Washington’s two-part presentation on research findings for these two important topic areas. A Pdf of the presentation here:
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