The speed of urbanisation on our planet is breath-taking. The UN estimated in 2015 that 60% of the urban areas that would exist by 2030 had yet to be built. The UK will contribute to this, with our population of 65.6 million in 2016 expected to rise to 69.2 million by 2026.

The UN accordingly published their New Urban Agenda (NUA) at the end of 2016. The NUA represented a shared vision for a better and more resilient future – one in which all people have equal rights and access to the benefits and opportunities that cities can offer, and in which the international community reconsiders the urban systems and physical form of our urban spaces to achieve this
.
The NUA also acknowledged the critical role that urban forestry / urban greening would play in this and, as a result, the first World Forum on Urban Forests took place in Mantova, Italy at the end of 2017. The vision we promoted in Mantova was one of communities where urban and peri-urban forests are recognised for the wide range of benefits they provide, and that trees and green spaces are viewed as Critical Infrastructure, like utilities and transportation, and thus are a strategic component of the landscape.

This seminar will consider these issues, as well as pursuing the fact that trees and urban forestry benefit all of us by making our communities greener, healthier, happier, cooler, wilder, cleaner, wealthier and safer. Each of these aspects will be considered in detail.

The form of a tree is the expression of the dynamic relationship that binds each tree with the environment in which it grows. The form a tree acquired, however, is not simply a reaction to its environment, but also relies on the adherence to
principles of tree architecture development. Giovanni will illustrate how these principles change according to the different species and how they evolve following the life of each individual tree.
The relationship that links the crown architecture to the organization of the root system will be presented and finally it will be shown how it is possible to relate the architectural characteristics of a tree to biological, physiological and pathological aspects.

Applying the Morphophysiological Approach: Tree Pruning and Tree Stability
Morphophysiology is the discipline that links the tree’s architecture with its biological functioning,with reference to its energetic, hormonal and structural aspects. Morphophysiological analysis is based on the predictability of the evolution of a tree. Observations of its present state, allows one to reconstruct its past and foresee its future development. In this way, the most appropriate diagnostic or arboricultural interventions can be designed to positively affect long-term structure.
A case study on a veteran London Planes (Platanus x hispanica) will be presented

There are several pest and diseases threatening tree populations. Most of the time eradication is not possible due to the large extent of infection or infestation. However,
integrated pest and disease management (IPM) can offer opportunities to minimize the risk or even contain and control the threat. In this seminar the management of the following Pest & Diseases will be discussed:
Horse Chestnut Bleeding Cancer (Pseudomonas syringae pv aesculi) is recognized since 2000 as a bacterial pathogen. Since then many Aesculus have been cut down. Heat
treatment is a method to kill the bacteria.
The fungal disease, ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) having devastating effects on the ash population in the Netherlands. Ash dieback can pose a safety risk due to dead
branches or dieback of an entire tree. The development of asurvey- and management decision model will be discussed.
Platanus plays a major role in the urban environment. Massaria (Splanchnonema platani) is a typical disease which is exploited by several companies as a new earnings model.
Reasonable management of the risk of a falling branch seems to be the keyword when talking about Massaria.
Unfortunately Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea  processionae) was introduced in the UK in 2006. Fact is that  spreading of the insect seems to be unstoppable and
management of the risk for people’s health is the major goal.                                               What can we expect in the near future, what is knocking at Europa’s and UK’s border? A recent trip to Russia gave nsight in the impact of Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus
planipennis). Xylella fastidiosa is since a couple of years located in important tree producing countries. Pineprocessionary moth is already in France, etc.
Pest and diseases belong to living creatures. This seminar is focussing on reasonable management if there is a need for management at all. A broad vision and opportunities that arise will form the conclusion.

9.00am Registration and tea / coffee refreshments
9.30am – 9.35am Welcome to the day and ‘My Tree Rocks Challenge’ – Pete Stringer
9.35am – 10.00am City of Trees a new movement for Greater Manchester – Pete Stringer
10.00am – 10.20am An evidence based mapping approach to tree planting – Bryan Cosgrove
10.20am – 11.00am Workshop 1 – Exploring your local Tree Heritage
11.00am – 11.20am Tea break
11.20am – 11.50am Green Streets – Turning the streets from grey to green – Pete Stringer
11.50am – 12.30pm Workshop 2 – Every tree tells a story
12.30pm – 1.30pm Lunch and opportunity to visit nursery
1.30pm – 2.00pm What Have Trees Ever Done for us?
Demonstration & research – Pete Stringer
2.00pm – 2.40pm Workshop & Tea Break – Mocktail making, an ice breaker for community engagement
2.40pm – 3.00pm Of the people by the people for the people – Community Woodland Management – Bryan Cosgrove (includes Citizen Forester)
3.00pm – 3.20pm Question and answers to the team
3.20pm – 3.30pm Summary, winner of ‘My Tree Rocks’ challenge and
close

There is nothing more important than soil to the success of plantings in urban landscapes. Urban sites, and thus urban soil, make up a large part of the work of landscape architects – yet the analysis of urban soils is often ignored except as part of ageotechnical engineer’s report on its structural capability. Too often it is assumed that there is no soil of value; urban soil analysis is too difficult or mpossible; and that if a better planting medium is
needed then it is probably best to buy it.
This approach has led us to ignore a sustainable asset present on many projects. But there are often usable soil resources at many urban sites; it can be assessed; and with minimum effort, can often be reused as viable planting medium.
This workshop will teach practitioners a new approach to assessing and using urban soils and will present the protocols to analyze and use this sustainable resource. The workshop will include ahands-on introduction to the tools and principles required

The urban environment constrains tree growth and survival: drought, poor soil quality, soil compaction, light heterogeneity, transplant shock, pollutants, salinity, pathogens and conflicts with human activity often cause premature plant death, thus reducing the net benefit by urban green areas. It is therefore important to better understand the dynamics leading to tree decline in the urban environment, and to develop strategies and
techniques aimed at improving the horticultural tolerance (i.e. the capacity to provide benefits, not only to survive, under stressful conditions) of urban trees. These include
nursery preconditioning techniques and post-planting management techniques, but a key role is played by species selection. Hundreds of species are used in the urban
environment, but selection criteria are frequently based upon aesthetics and whether the species are native or not, rather than on the tolerance to typical stresses imposed by
the built environment and on the capacity to provide substantial benefits therein. This has lead to only a limited knowledge about the ecophysiology of shade trees, if compared to fruit trees and crop species. Research in the area of tree selection for tolerance of urban conditions so that the service life of trees in our communities is extended
and the benefits provided by trees are maximized is limited in Europe.
Therefore, tolerance mechanisms of species with validated and potential ornamental use, and cultural techniques for either pre-conditioning plants in the nursery or
alleviating stress after planting will be reviewed in the presentation which will show some results achieved in this field

• Ian Rodger will be talking about the managing of trees in
the Royal parks
• Jan Willem de Groot . I.Tree calculates the benefits of
trees. We all know that the larger the canopy of a tree the
higher the ecosystem services are. Trees in our cities are
planted with a purpose. We want them to develop into large,
healthy and safe trees that provide us the optimum
ecosystem services. But, just planting a tree doesn’t make it
successful! If we want our new planted trees to be
successful one day, we need to give them the right tree
management. Based on his experience in The Netherlands
Jan Willem de Groot will give a presentation about young
tree management based on a plan.
• Rob Scholefiled, The invisible asset: using i-Tree to raise
the profile of trees and ecosystem services in the Housing
sector.
• Dale Mortimer. A review of the i-Tree survey undertaken
in the London Borough of Ealing this summer (2017).
Discussing: the partnership between Trees for Cities,
Treeconomics, Ealing Council, the Greater London Authority
and, the Forestry Commission; the planning and execution
of the project; the results and interpretation; and the positive
outcomes that will be used to further enhance Ealing’s
urbans forest
• Richard Barnes• Will be speaking about the on-going
Newcastle City Council I-tree project. Explaining
the City thought it necessary and the anticipated
results. He will explain what has happened so
far and what is planned. He will also speak about
the organisation necessary both within the
Authority and externally within the wider community

Bartlett Tree Research laboratories and the work they do, both in the Uk and USA,
is widely recognised.
Tom Smiley has an international reputation for ground breaking research and is a rare
visitor to the UK. Tom will present his latest thoughts and research on tree root
cutting and the subsequent effect on tree stability and will address some of the challenges of growing trees near concrete.
Jon Banks is well known in the UK and is based in reading. Jon will present some of
his latest research on drought tolerance in different species of trees and outline the importance of understanding the subject that appropriate tree selection is made

Back by popular demand

The day will cover a variety of subjects

* Designing with trees

* Pruning techniques

* Planting advice

* David Carmichael will talk on what a Tree Consultant does, dealing with everything from planting to veterans and felling.

* Q & A Session

Plus a guided walk through the trees on the nursery