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Summary

This conversation explores the intricate politics surrounding street trees, focusing on their historical significance, community engagement, and the ongoing challenges in urban forestry. Camilla Allen, a landscape architect and environmental historian, discusses the Sheffield street tree crisis, the role of trees as living memorials, and the importance of public advocacy and education in tree management. The dialogue emphasizes the need for collaboration between professionals and communities to ensure the sustainable future of urban trees. Relevant papers, as Camilla touched on regarding the sycamore gap, are here

Crow, Jim ‘The tale of a tree: An archaeological history of Sycamore Gap’, Current Archaeology, December 2023

Ferguson, Bruce K. ‘Symbolic meanings of ordinary city streets and their trees’ Frontiers in Psychology 2023

Hanscam, Emily and Holtorf, Cornelius ‘Rooted in the Future, A cultural ecology of the Sycamore Gap Tree’ Current Archaeology, December 2023.

Chapters Rough Timings

00:00 Introduction to the Politics of Street Trees
02:46 Sheffield's Street Tree Crisis
05:53 Historical Perspectives on Tree Planting
09:02 The Multifaceted Role of Trees
11:49 Living Memorials and Their Significance
18:00 The Politics of Tree Management
23:58 Community Engagement and Tree Advocacy
29:50 Cultural Significance of Trees
36:02 The Future of Street Trees
41:50 The Charter for Street Trees

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In this conversation, Sharon interviews Jaroslav Kolarik, CEO of SafeTrees and member of the Arboriculture Academy in the Czech Republic. They discuss the role of the European Arboriculture Council (EAC) in promoting arboriculture in Europe and the certification programs offered by the EAC. They also talk about the importance of certification for arborists and the challenges of raising awareness and understanding of arboriculture among the general public. They touch on the development of European Arboriculture Standards and the upcoming conference in Prague. They also discuss the tree assessment and tree value calculation standards and the need for a unified approach to tree care. The conversation discusses the importance of valuing trees and the challenges in calculating their value. It emphasizes the need to consider the eco-benefits, property value, replacement value, wildlife value, and ecosystem value of trees. The conversation also touches on the role of municipalities in decision-making and the irreplaceable nature of trees. The interviewee highlights the importance of proper tree assessment and the need to consider the age structure, species structure, and maintenance history of trees. The conversation also explores the concept of canopy cover and the challenges of tree planting and aftercare. The interviewee shares insights into the arboricultural scene in the Czech Republic, including the strict legislation around tree felling and the growing number of arborists, including women, in the industry. The interview concludes with a discussion on the ambition of the European Arboricultural Council to spread the standards and promote tree care at a higher level.

Sound Bites

• "EAC was created to increase the level of Arboriculture in Europe and the first products were certification programs, European tree worker and European tree technician."
• "Certification is necessary to choose qualified companies or individuals for tree care work, especially when larger financial amounts are invested."
• "The certification for veteran tree specialist is a jewel among arboriculture qualifications, focusing on the care of irreplaceable old trees and the ecosystems connected to them."
• "In our cities, mostly in the cities in southern part of Europe without trees we are not going to survive really in the cities."
• "Just imagine that if we just consider the tree being represented only by let's say some replacement value but the replacement itself is going to happen within 60 years."
• "The first questions should not be about the value, about the money because that's only the last resort how to express the value of the trees."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Background

04:06
Promoting Arboriculture in Europe: The Role of the European Arboriculture Council

06:28
The Importance of Certification for Arborists

12:09
Developing European Arboriculture Standards

19:26
Understanding Tree Assessment

25:32
Valuing Trees Beyond Replacement Cost

27:18
Valuing Trees: Eco-Benefits and Property Value

28:47
Challenges in Tree Valuation and Replacement Value

31:13
Considerations for Proper Tree Assessment

32:43
Canopy Cover: Visualizing Tree Presence

45:14
Challenges and Best Practices in Tree Planting and Aftercare

50:28
The Growing Arboricultural Scene and Diversity in the Czech Republic

53:11
Spreading Tree Care Standards Across Europe

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Built and natural environments are often referred to independently, but in reality, comprise two defined parts of one environment. Within the environment, trees and buildings exist, though not always in equal relationships. Where development is proposed, taking precedence over trees, an imbalance between natural and built environments may occur. This could be the result of tree- building conflict often resulting in tree removal. Where architects are creators of the built environment, there is a professional responsibility to consider the wider environmental context impacted by development and also the contributing benefit that trees offer to the environment.
In this episode, Sharon interviews Dr. Gary Wynn, an innovative architect and arboriculturalist. Gary shares his journey of becoming an arboriculturalist and the lack of tree knowledge among architects. He discusses his research on the relationship between trees and buildings and the need for architects to have arboricultural knowledge. Gary also talks about his architectural philosophy, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the importance of seeing the world as a connected system. He shares a case study of a building he designed near trees and the engineering considerations involved. The conversation ends with a discussion on the tension between the benefits of trees and the challenges they pose in urban areas. Dr. Gary Winn discusses the successful relationship between trees and buildings, highlighting the benefits, challenges, and innovative design solutions. He emphasizes the need for architects and arboriculturists to collaborate and integrate tree considerations into the design process. Dr. Winn shares his research findings, which show that architects often lack knowledge about trees and perceive them as obstacles. However, through workshops and practical exercises, architects can learn to prioritize the tree-building relationship and create innovative designs that incorporate trees. He also discusses the importance of public perception, policy changes, and the role of well-being in the tree-building relationship. Link to the Invisible House Youtube video promo

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