Course Detail

22/09/2022

NBGW

Wales Branch Autumn Seminar 2022

Howell Davies, John Parker

0 hours

Course Objectives:

About the speakers:

Howell Davies has a practical arboricultural background with 27 years’ experience in tree care, contract management, and urban streetscape redevelopment. He began his tree care career in 1992 in the USA, before moving to New Zealand in 1994. He has a Diploma in Arboriculture, with Distinction and awarded the best research topic for his year. Howell also has an HND from Farnborough College of Technology studying Environmental Analysis and Monitoring from 1986-1988.

In December 2016, Howell took on the new role of Senior Urban Forest Advisor for Auckland Council, and has been busy working in a team of specialists on development of an urban forest strategy for Auckland. This has involved consultation with a range of council experts from the Chief Sustainability Office, Parks, Biodiversity and Auckland Transport. The Urban Forest Strategy for Auckland was approved by council’s Environment Committee in February 2018.  The document was released in March of 2019 and is the first of its kind for the region (and NZ) and is designed to be a high-level guidance and reference document based on research and data analysis.


John Parker has been Chief Executive Officer of the Arboricultural Association since July 2021, and previously held the role of Technical Director at the Association from August 2019. He has more than ten years of experience in public sector tree management and from 2012-2019 was a member of the Executive Committee of the London Tree Officers Association, which he Chaired in 2016-18, and until 2019 was a Director of the National Association of Tree Officers. John is a member of the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) International Steering Group and is a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Forester and an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Biology. He frequently presents at national and international conferences and has delivered a TED Talk entitled Why trees are better than people (available on YouTube). Since spring 2020 John has chaired the Arboricultural Association webinar series, covering a huge range of topics to a worldwide audience. In 2018 he was named Young European Urban Forester of the Year and in 2020 he was appointed as a Trustee of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, the national UK tree collection. John is interested in public engagement, green equity and promoting the benefits of trees, with particular consideration for their social and cultural value. He is the founder of the Stonehouse Community Arboretum in Gloucestershire.

Course Content:

Wales Branch is pleased to announce an additional Autumn event to host New Zealand's visiting arboriculturalist, Howell Davies, for a one off presentation entitled The Auckland Urban Ngahere (Forest) Strategy at the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens of Wales. The day's programme will also include a presentations by John Parker, CEO of Arboricultural Association; branch member Paul Cleaver and conclude with a tour of NBGW's gardens.

Programme

9:30am - Arrival (coffee and biscuits) 

10:00 – 10:15 - General welcome and housekeeping

10:15 – 11:00 – John Parker: Update on the Association’s activities and plans

11:00 – 11:15 - Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:15 - Howell Davies: The Auckland Urban Ngahere (Forest) Strategy

12:15 – 12:30 – Q&A (can spread into lunch)

12:30 - 13:30 – Lunch

13:30 -14:30 - Paul Cleaver – Managing tree safety

14:30 – 15:00 - Coffee Break

15:00 – 16:30 – Guided tour or free time to explore the gardens

Module Pre-requisites:

N/A