The Arboricultural Association (AA) is thrilled to reveal that the winner of this year’s AA Award is Lynne Boddy. In recognition of her significant and positive contribution to the arboricultural profession, Lynne was presented with the award during the Trees & Society Conference, by AA chair Michelle Ryan. We hope that everyone in the industry will join us in congratulating Lynne on this well-deserved achievement and in sending thanks for her ongoing contributions to the industry.
Below is an excerpt from one of the nominations received for Lynne, which brilliantly demonstrates her impact on the industry:
Lynne is renowned as an exceptional speaker and outreach educator, able to communicate research in plain language and in a very engaging way. This is exemplified in her most recent ground-breaking publication ‘Fungi and Trees - Their complex Relationships’, in which she has distilled a lifetime of research in easily accessible language, to better inform and provide a deeper understanding of these relationships for all who study or work with trees. For arboriculturists especially, it is a major contribution to help us conserve and manage trees for all their values.
Her research has been fundamental to the appreciation of all aspects of decay, helping to dispel its negative connotations, its role in tree ecosystems, and the crucial role of mycorrhizae. This has been especially important to the re-appraisal and development of the management of ancient and other veteran trees. That such trees are now rightly highly valued and appreciated is in no small part due to her work and outreach over many years to practising arboriculturists. Her book will enable even more arboriculturists to update their knowledge and re-appraise their decision making in this crucial area.
She has international recognition in her profession as a mycologist , but her role in elucidating the positive and vital fungal interactions with trees and their complex and interconnected ecosystems, and instructing others in the proper understanding of this is deserving of UK recognition by the AA. For these reasons I would wholeheartedly support her nomination.
Lynne Boddy Biography:
Lynne Boddy MBE PhD DSc FRSB FLSW is Professor of Mycology at Cardiff University. She is a fungal ecologist who has taught and researched into the ecology of tree-associated fungi, especially those responsible for wood decomposition, for over 40 years. She studies how cord-forming fungi operate as networks that search and respond for new woody resources on the forest floor, how fungi interact with one another and with invertebrates, and how their communities are structured and change with time in rotting wood. Inevitably, nowadays a major emphasis of hers has been on climate change effects on fungi. She is currently focusing on standing trees, investigating heart-rot in deciduous trees, and the ash dieback fungus. She is a prolific author having written well over 250 scientific papers, written or edited six books, including co-authoring the much-acclaimed Fungal Decomposition of Wood, and is chief editor of the journal Fungal Ecology. She has been president of the British Mycological Society, and received many awards for scientific research. Lynne is an ardent communicator of the mysteries and importance of the amazing hidden Kingdom of Fungi to students, arborists, and the general public including TV, radio, videos, popular talks, articles and exhibitions.
See Our Other Award Winners