Tree Diversity, a controversial nonsense or an absolute necessity? – Keith Sacre

Speaker: Keith Sacre, Barcham Trees plc

Synopsis: Our tree populations face many challenges as we move forward into an uncertain future. The most prominent of these are climate change and the increased importation of pest and disease. There is a consensus among professionals is that one of the mitigation strategies a planned increase of species diversity within our tree populations.

The talk will explore what diversity means and examine how achievable this is and how effective it is likely to be. It will look at species which might add to diversity, the conflict between native and exotic species and examine the role that small gardens play in potentially achieving that diversity.

Speaker biography: Keith Sacre has a MSc in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, a BSc in Arboriculture, a BSc in Social Science and a post graduate diploma in management studies. He is currently a director at Barcham Trees, the largest container tree nursery in Europe. He is a co-founder of Treeconomics, a founder member and trustee of the Trees and Design Action Group and a trustee of the UK Arboricultural Association and is a previous chair of the Association.

Keith has over 30 years of experience in the nursery industry and was the lead author of the UK British Standard Trees: From Nursery to Independence in the Landscape published in 2014. Prior to working in the nursery industry he spent several years managing and developing public open space in the local authority sector.

Keith has travelled extensively across the world viewing both nursery practice and urban forestry management with a particular focus on young trees. He has spoken at conferences in the UK, USA, Australia, Russia and across mainland Europe and writes extensively for numerous periodicals and journals. He was the instigator of and developed the Barcham Trees Seminar Series and is the organizer of the company’s well known ‘Big Barn Conference’ both of which have attracted speakers from across the world.

He has also written and published three advisory manuals on young tree production, management and maintenance.

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