AA Conference - highlights

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi all, great to see many of you at Conference this year and here's a (very) quick resume of the highlights (not inc. meeting me of course ;-])

 

Sunday - tour of the grounds by Rupert Taylor and some magnificent trees.

 

Monday - Prof. David Ball highlighting the imporatnce of 'BENEFITS' in the risk assessment process for public safety and how this needs to be better considered and ensure we do risk assessments, i.e. likelihood of harm, and not just ''hazard assessments", i.e. harm could occur because a hazard is present.

 

Monday - Graham McMahon = mad and awesome in equal measures (but enough said elsewhere.) "Crocodile Dundee eat yer heart out!"

 

Monday - speed briefs, i) Richard Nicholson - BS5837, ii) Peter Annet - AA Reg Con revamped scheme and iii) Tony Lane - Prof. Skills Framework (mainly aimed ay operatives level)

 

Monday - Dave Cashman & Tim O'Hare - basement developments under tree root systems & top soil significance and assessment

 

Monday - Orjan Stahl & Ted Green - contaminated soil removal (inc. around trees) from island off Stokholm & importance of understanding soils and mycorrhizal relations.

 

Tuesday - Brian Crane and Keith Sacre - Berkeley Sq management plan (interesting to see L.PLane heavily decyaed stems by Rig ulm & Per frx) & TDAG 'Trees in the Townscape' document and significance (a 'pan industry' approach).

 

Tuesday - Scott Cullen (USA) looking at the various valutaion systems and giving some evaluation of their application and highlighted the importance of the process as outlined by RICS guidance.

 

Tuesday Awards - Best Trade Stand = Treelife, Best Tech Cert Student = Mark Franklin, Best Prof Dip student = Jago Keen, and AA Award = Mick Boddy.

 

Tuesday - Adam Sandler & Joan Webber - Adam changed from ALB eradication to Davy system of tree survey / inventory development & JW gave update at latest P&D stuff, inc. Chalara dieback of Ash, but reminded us not to forget the old foes.

 

Tuesday - Glynn Percival - looking at systemic induced resistance, akin to human immunisation / boosters, and how this can be used to improve tree response to subsequent disease attacks.

 

Tuesday - Duncan Slater - updates on MSc project looking at forks and attcahments in trees reinforcing earlier research that the 'clever clip' system is correct and previous models are erroneous.

 

Wednesday - Glynn Percival & Bartletts looked at their very strong didgital microscope showing the Camararia larvae on screen down to its mandibles...fascinating stuff. Then a tour of the molecular labs, as they're based there, and demo of air spading and tree spraying.

 

For further info, where available, papers will be posted on the AA website soon.

 

Thanks all..

Paul

[bbtarb]

Hi, sounds like a good conference. is there any footage of the graham mcmahon talk? I would love to see that if possible.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi, sounds like a good conference. is there any footage of the graham mcmahon talk? I would love to see that if possible.

 

Hi there,

 

I don't believe we took any 'footage' as such but there's some on Grahams' website at Sherbrooke Tree Service | Tree Lopping | Tree Removals | Tree Pruning

 

Happy viewing..

Paul

[David Humphries]

Hi there,

 

I don't believe we took any 'footage' as such but there's some on Grahams' website at Sherbrooke Tree Service | Tree Lopping | Tree Removals | Tree Pruning

 

Happy viewing..

Paul

 

Happy viewing indeed

 

Paul, I noticed a few delegates 'filming' certain speakers (sadly not Mr McMahon as far as I can recall)

 

Is this something that requires permission?

Is it something that the AA could look at to provide for non attendees for future conference lectures?

(for a fee of course)

 

Thanks for the well put together summary in the first post.

 

Shame I couldn't make all three days.

Paperwork to do, fung to hunt, its tough at the north london tree face

 

 

 

.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Happy viewing indeed

 

Paul, I noticed a few delegates 'filming' certain speakers (sadly not Mr McMahon as far as I can recall)

 

Is this something that requires permission?

Is it something that the AA could look at to provide for non attendees for future conference lectures?

(for a fee of course)

 

Thanks for the well put together summary in the first post.

 

Shame I couldn't make all three days.

Paperwork to do, fung to hunt, its tough at the north london tree face

 

 

 

.

 

David, thank you and glad you enjoyed it.

 

We'll look at the possibility at future events / conferences.

 

Happy hunting, please keep us posted fo anything partic interesting.

 

Regards..

Paul

[NickB]

I believe that Jeremy Barrell recorded Graeme's presentation on video but have no idea if it will be made available to all

[David Humphries]

Howdee Paul

 

Just been going through this years presentations as I could only attend on the Monday.

 

First rate group of speakers.

 

Little disappointed that there seemed to be nothing similar to the BBQ & Grahams evening presentation this year.

 

How so?

 

Not deemed successful last year or difficult to get hold of anyone in the same vein?

 

 

I thought last year, although sadly lacking in contractor numbers on the evening (perhaps further advertising would have helped) really had fantastic potential to engage and get a wider audience attending.

 

 

What say you Sir ?

 

 

.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Howdee Paul

 

Just been going through this years presentations as I could only attend on the Monday.

 

First rate group of speakers.

 

Little disappointed that there seemed to be nothing similar to the BBQ & Grahams evening presentation this year.

 

How so?

 

Not deemed successful last year or difficult to get hold of anyone in the same vein?

 

 

I thought last year, although sadly lacking in contractor numbers on the evening (perhaps further advertising would have helped) really had fantastic potential to engage and get a wider audience attending.

 

 

What say you Sir ?

 

 

.

 

Howdee David, good to hear.

 

To be honest I'm not entirely sure as the Conference event is very much the forte of Simon. Think it was probably just a different venue, a different theme and, as you say, no-one quite like Graham available this time (that said the equivalent (post-conference dinner) presentation was very interesting.

 

I'll run it by Simon and let him know your thoughts.

 

Thanks David n have a good weekend.

 

Cheers..

Paul