Ancient Tree Forum


		ATF events usually start at 10.00am for 10.30am and carry on into the middle of the afternoon. Please bring a packed lunch. Everyone welcome.

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12 & 13 June 2013 ATF Summer Field Meeting Knepp Castle West Sussex Ashtead Common Surrey		Next summer's ATF conference will be held at Knepp Castle in West Sussex and Ashtead Common in Surrey on the 12th and 13th of June. Both days will consist of field visits and indoor lectures, and the two venues should provide a fascinating contrast. Knepp Castle has a landscape scale re-wilding project over thousands of acres, where we will discuss the evolution of ancient trees and their associates and explore what this might mean for large scale management today. At Ashtead Common an intensive programme of haloing and retrenchment pruning is underway on the 2000 oak pollards, and we'll take the opportunity to think about pruning techniques and other specific details of managing trees on an individual scale. There will also be the opportunity at both sites to look at pollard creation and veteranisation work. Expect the usual high calibre of speaker (details to follow) and trademark ATF base of tree, free for all, outside the box, vigorous discussion. Programme/details pdf (1176.40KB) Cost per day Ł15 Whole event Ł30 Booking essential - To receive a booking form please e-mail EventsATF@aol.com

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27 February - 14 May 2013 Quantified Tree Risk Assessment Ltd (QTRA) present A series of training as detailed		Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) is a probabilistic system of assessing the risk of harm from tree failure and is becoming increasingly accepted as the way forward for tree safety management in the United Kingdom. The system provides a robust method for the assessment of tree safety on all land use types and can result in substantially reduced levels of both tree inspections and the remedial felling and pruning of trees. Training as follows:- Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) Training 26 Feb -London 05 Mar -Chorley 23 Apr - Bath 08 May - Norwich 21 May - Birmingham 13 May - Dublin, Ireland A Practitioners Guide to visual Tree Assessment (VTA) 27 Feb - London 06 Mar - Chorley 24 Apr - Bath 09 May - Norwich 22 May - Birmingham 14 May - Dublin, Ireland QTRA Update (Intermediate) Training - for current Registered Users 23 May - Birmingham QTRA Newsletter Issue 11 pdf 473.69KB) For further details or an online booking form visit our website at www.qtra.co.uk

05 -18 April 2013 Mall Galleries The Mall (near Trafalgar Square) London SW1 Press Release March 2013		The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) is using their annual exhibition to highlight the plight of Britain’s woodlands with the special exhibition Trees & Landscape. With Ash dieback threatening 80 million ash trees and Government plans to sell off our public woodlands, the RI’s exhibition is a celebration of the dwindling trees. Some of the finest watercolour painters working today have gone out into the woods to capture the dappled light of sun shining through leaves before it is too late. Open 5th April to Thursday 18th April, 10am-5pm daily Admission Ł3, Concessions Ł2.50 (Free to Friends of the FBA, Art Fund Members and Under 18s). For more information and images contact: Liberty Rowley, Marketing & Press Officer - Tel: 020 7968 0955 press@mallgalleries.com Tel: 020 7930 6844 www.mallgalleries.org.uk Full Press Release pdf (37.46KB)

26 April 2013 The Art and Science of Tree Pruning International Conference The Royal Mint Stockholm		The Swedish Arborist Association present an International Conference: Trees have evolved with specific solutions for maximising their assimilation of light, carbon dioxide, nutrients and water. Their species specific morphology and ecological strategies are central to their survival and have resulted in huge variety of size, form and function which the arborist must understand in order to prune correctly without having major impacts on tree health and structural safety. Arborists need to understand trees physiology, defence systems and the way in which trees respond to pruning both in the short and long term. Arborists soon learn that the best results are achieved with practice, feeling and a continuous search for perfection that is effectively unattainable. This can only be described as Art. This one day conference will cover the basics of tree pruning, defence mechanisms, tree phenology, tree structure and the bio-mechanical effect pruning has on tree stability in wind. The speakers will also cover new material and research which challenges some commonly accepted knowledge. Speakers: Dr Edward Gillman, USA; Frank Rinn, Germany; + more to come Price: SAF Members 1800kr SAF Membership + conference 2300kr For non SAF Members: 2500kr NOTE: The first 40 to register will get a once in a lifetime chance for a field day together with the Speakers on the 27th April. So hurry up and register:- Registration and international bank details Flyer pdf (259.81KB)

13 - 17 May 2013 Tree Care, Protection and Management for Amenity and Development Snowdonia National Park Centre at Plas Tan y Bwlch		The aims of this course are to further develop the knowledge and skills required for the sustainable care, protection and management of trees on amenity, development and conservation sites, highways and other areas used by the public. Objectives: • Increase knowledge of tree biology to recognise where tree health and preservation is threatened, i.e. by common diseases and defects and how to deal with these situations. • Further develop tree inspection, evaluation and report writing skills and understand the legal requirements such as TPO’s and risk assessments. • Improve knowledge of the British Standard ‘Trees in Relation to Construction’ which also has direct implications for those managing amenity / conservation sites. Consider decision making for planning development near trees and appreciate Arboricultural Method Statements. • Consider the relevance of Amenity Tree Valuations and discuss tree asset and maintenance systems. For Whom?: Public and private sector staff involved in the care, protection and management of trees in areas used by the public. Course Organisers: Andrew Weir, Plas Tan y Bwlch in conjunction with David Thorman B.Sc, F. Arbor, Arboricultural Consultant. Monday 13th May - Friday 17th May Price Ł444 Course No. D/09 Centre for Environmental Studies and Education Services Plas Tan y Bwlch Environmental Studies Centre and Education Services Ffestiniog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd. LL41 3YU Orders/Bookings: Tel: 01766 772600 Fax: 01766 772 609 email plas@eryri-npa.gov.uk www.plastanybwlch.com Course pdf (2178.46KB) further details pdf (273.01KB)

17 & 18 May 2013 Shadows & Ghosts Lost Woods in the Landscape Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield		Professor Ian D. Rotherham and colleagues are organising a 2-day event on ‘woodland shadows and ghosts – the lost woods in the landscape’. The event will begin with a field visit on Friday (17th) to start the discussion. On Saturday (18th) the indoor event will bring together speakers from a range of disciplines and include an afternoon panel discussion to review and develop ideas around ancient trees, ancient woods, wood pasture and the ideas of shadows, ghosts and retired veterans. This will develop ideas from previous work and draw together suggestions from practitioners and senior policy makers to examine issues of concern and lay the foundations for a major funded project to run in the next few years. We already have speakers and panel members from Natural England, Defra, the Woodland Trust, the National Trust, Ancient Tree Forum, National Parks, Universities and practitioners but would welcome offers of further contributions and posters. The event will begin with a field visit on the 17th May in the afternoon/early evening to a site in the Peak District; the fee will include a packed lunch & refreshments. The event on the 18th May will be in the Cantor building at Sheffield Hallam University and run from 09.45 to 16.45, a delegate pack, refreshments and lunch options are included in the fee. There are limited places and pre-booking is essential. Please fill in the booking form and return as soon as possible to reserve a place – further information will be sent to those who book. Booking Forms and all enquiries to: Conference Team, BaLHRI / BRG, Venture House, 103 Arundel Street, Sheffield, S1 2NT, UK Tel: 0114 272 4227 - Email: info@hallamec.plus.com Cheques should be made payable to: HEC Associates Ltd. Businesses and other organisations may supply an official purchase order.

02 October 2013 Flora Locale Good practice in managing ancient trees Training Programme Slough Berkshire		Facilitators: Ancient Tree Forum, Dr David Lonsdale, Caroline Davis and Helen Read. Course description: Ancient trees are irreplaceable parts of our living heritage and it is important to care and manage them to ensure that they live as long as possible. This introductory day is aimed at owners, site managers and tree workers who may be called in to advise on tree management. We will take a detailed look at the tree management at Burnham Beeches. Burnham Beeches is at the forefront of ancient tree management and staff there have an excellent track record of managing ancient oak and beech. Fungi, decay and aging will be considered in the context of practical tree management. Fee: Ł100.00/Ł75.00 Concessions are available for employees and volunteers with charities, parish councils, fulltime students and those not economically active Registration and payment 10:00 - 16:00 Wednesday 02 October 2013





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